Special Deals
by xxkoffeexx
Summary: Every story contains a conflict of many varieties: human vs. human, human vs. nature, human vs. himherself. This story isn't any different, only, it's Tomoyo Daidouji vs. HIM. No, not the devil... shockingly.
1. Now call me insane

**A/N: I revised this chapter, so those of you who are re-reading it (though I wouldn't know why...) can see that the format's improved. Those who are reading it the first time...well, it doesn't really matter. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Cardcaptors or any of the characters...unfortunately.**

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**Chapter 1: Now call me insane...**

Is life really what it's cut out to be?

Can you really look at life and say, 'Hmm, hello Life, I am right now living because of you...' or some crap like that. Does that even make _sense_?

To me, it does. Oh yeah. And for the questions about life:

Why are we living in this place we call Earth?

What is life without ice cream?

Why do many fear the prospect of facing death when they're going to face it anyway?

What is the MEANING of life when one's ice cream is stolen?

Why is my ice cream dead but Eriol Hiiragizawa is still alive and breathing?

Why? Well, I'll tell you why...

Because the devil or demon (either one) is on his side.

Where oh where are my angels? And what point am I making by complaining about my ice cream and a boy?

As you know, these are all rhetorical questions. Well, time to find some answers so that I may clear everyone's mind...and mine.

One beautiful, crisp autumn day, I was walking home from school with my best friend (and cousin) Sakura Kinomoto. We decided to head to the new (popular) café which had opened just last week. As the brunette beside me chatted brightly about how she kicked Syaoran Li's ass in P.E (I don't know why a guy would be weaker than a girl, but then Sakura isn't exactly gentle...). Even though the Clow Card incident was over, and the Sakura Cards were officially...Sakura Cards, she and Syaoran just didn't know how to get along.

Sure the guy loved her, and I'm pretty sure she loved him back (it doesn't matter how many times she hotly denies it because I know my cousin very well) they always found a way to bicker and compete against each other. Honestly, I think it's just another way they flirt with the opposite sex. They may oppose to what I say, but hell, I know what I'm talking about. Most of the time, that is.

Since it was a Friday, there was a mob of high school students from our school crowding their way towards the new café. It seemed we were going to wait for a while. But Sakura, the ever-impatient one, frowned and grabbed my arm, saying, "I'm not waiting for all these people to go in! Come on, I need to go pee really bad! Let's go!"

And so, without waiting for an answer, she dragged me quite forcefully towards the café door, squeezing past people along the wall. I, being the easily over-whelmed person I am, could only see my dear cousin's head as we skipped by the brick wall, and didn't see the metal door opening. When I did, Sakura managed to step away from it and I ran into it.

All I can say is... OW. The handle caught my stomach and gave me a lovely bruise. It also happened to be high enough to crash into my...breast. Now, I'm not going to take time explaining how much it hurt, but...OW. "I'm so sorry..." I _barely_ glanced at the person who just uttered the oh-so-caring apology and had opened the freaking door, causing my current pain.

It was Hiiragizawa from the junior class. The same grade as me. I heard he was quite popular, but now, seething through my pain, I didn't think anything of him except as a stupid bastard. I was in mortal pain. He was lucky Sakura was pulling me away and into the café, because he would have died from my angry (petite) hands.

"Stupid little arrogant piece of—" I started to say angrily, but Sakura gave me a confused look. She hadn't witnessed the door-opening scene. I gave her a grim smile and explained, "Someone opened the door as he was walking out and I ran into it." I touched my poor stomach and winced at the sore bruise. I wasn't nearly as angry as before, but I was still pissed enough to injure a certain someone...really badly. However, I can't stay that angry with someone, and even if I couldn't sleep on my stomach anymore, I wasn't going to complain anymore about it. Liar.

"I'm so sorry, Tomoyo! Do you want me to get an ice pack or something?" My cousin's concerned voice and expression was enough to dwindle down my flame of anger and vengeance. I smiled my own sweet smile at her and shook my head.

"You need to go to the bathroom," I said. Her green eyes widened as she suddenly remembered why she wanted to go to the café so quickly. "I'll order the mochas...unless you want hot chocolate?" She grinned happily at me over her shoulder as she made a bee-line for the lady's restroom, yelling, "Nope!" I smiled wider, noticing people were staring at her as she nearly knocked over a waitress. Sakura was always the clumsy one. It was so funny to see her trip over her own feet and quickly apologize to whoever the victim was.

There was only one person who was clumsier than my dear best friend, and that was...moi.

The door breezed open, bringing in the cool wind and four new guys. Everyone's heads turned. It was as if the newly arrived had magnets or something attached to them. I wasn't very interested, but then something blue caught my eyes. I looked back at them and realized it was Hiiragizawa. It was he who opened the door and caused me to have this fatal injury on my most sensitive parts. Well, maybe it wasn't fatal, but I didn't care. I gave him a glare and quickly turned away before he could catch me looking at him.

He and his group of friends headed to the other side of the café, probably aware of the stares directed at them. I snorted inwardly. Arrogant popular bastard, that's whathe was. I realized Syaroan Li was in the power of four. I frowned, realizing Sakura would have to pass him when she came out of the restroom.

"What can I get you?" I looked up at the waitress and quickly ordered for Sakura and me, glancing nervously at the bathroom door. "Miss, would you like the special today?" I blinked. What was the special today? She noted my confused look and explained, "If you order two or more cups, you can get dessert for half off." I mulled this over, realizing I hadn't had any ice cream in centuries. Well, I had one two nights ago, but it was still much too long ago. I nodded and smiled, glancing once more at the lady's restroom.

Thankfully, Sakura hadn't come out yet, and I began to wonder if she was doing number two when the orders came out. I blinked yet again. The dessert was a vanilla cone. Not a glass bowl or anything fancy...just a cone. Oh well, ice cream was still there.

I was about to take a delicious bite, but out of the corner of my eyes (okay, so maybe I was facing it directly) I saw Sakura walking out of the bathroom door, her usually bright smile on her face. My eyes quickly flitted over to the table of guys, who were now laughing, and I looked at my cousin again. Syaoran had spotted her suddenly, and a sly look entered his good-looking features. Sakura, the ever-unsuspecting Sakura, didn't see him and was heading straight for the leg he was sticking out.

Everything happened so slowly, yet so quickly. I got out of my chair and ran towards the innocent girl, yelling something crazy and flailing my arms to get her attention. Well, I got her attention as well as the whole café's. For some twist of fate, as I neared the table I slipped on a banana peel (which is so totally cliché) and fell forward, pushing Sakura away with all my might.

I hadn't realized I had the uneaten ice cream in my hand, so when I stumbled forward, my ice cream flew out of my hand and landed on Hiiragizawa's shiny, blue hair.

Okay, now I was in big trouble. I had just caused an ice cream cone to land perfectly on the most popular guy in school. It was on his head, the vanilla part smearing his hair and the cone sticking directly up. This was not good. I mean, yeah, the guy got me a bruise on my stomach and boob, and he didn't even apologize appropriately. But still, my anger had all but dissipated and I was quite calm about the whole ordeal. Yet here I was, gaping at the ice cream on the guy's head, along with everyone else in the silent café. I had taken revenge on him without even wanting to. This was bad.

This is the part where I should have apologized profusely. Except…that didn't happen. I started laughing. I actually started **laughing**, pointing at him. It was the whole 'laugh-at-him' procedure, package and all. I stood there laughing my butt off, trying to say, "I'm so sorry!" between breaths, but it didn't come out quite right. Then, suddenly realizing what I had just done, I snatched the shocked Sakura's hand and dragged her out of the café, leaving a few bills on our table along with a generous tip. The café sounded like it was on mute as we went out the door.

Now, I admit, I was acting pretty crazy back then. I should have humbly apologized to him and gave him money, but no, I just had to laugh. And point. But damn, it was funny. He looked just like a clown with that small cone, his glasses flashing as he blinked and stared at me with startled blue eyes. I must have looked insane; crazy, anti-sanity or whatever you call it. Totally out of my mind.

However, just as Sakura and I were about to cross the street, someone came running up behind us. I turned and nearly screamed in surprise when I saw Hiiragizawa standing right behind me. I blinked, my heart pounding from shock, as his gaze suddenly turned narrow and a smirk played at his mouth.

I realized then why all the girls were smitten with him and wanted to go out with him. He was pretty hot...in that dark, mysterious way. Well, to tell the truth, he wasn't my type. I liked the type Sakura liked; tall, The 3 S's (strong, smart, and sexy) and had a tendency to be shy. When I coughed Syaoran I received a smart smack on the arm. Man, Sakura may be kind and gentle, but she was as strong as any boy when it came to physics.

Anyways, back to the blue-haired guy standing in front of me. He was smirking. At me. Only me. Not Sakura, not anyone else on the street, just ME. Oh my, don't I feel special. Not. He was giving me the creeps. I nervously glanced at his head and saw that the ice cream had been wiped off. And then, he said it.

"You and me...are now rivals."

My innocent, wide, STUPID expression said, 'What, me?'

He continued, "I will win this war and then we'll see who can humiliate who." Okay. Whatever you say Daddy-o. He saw me blinking and smirked even wider, leaning in towards me. I leaned back, not wanting to touch him. Well, I couldn't help it, I'd never touched a boy before. Pretty pathetic, eh? Well, I was more intent on getting straight A's and a scholarship. "By the end of the year, I bet you that you'll be more publicly humiliated than what you did to me right now, that you'll be packing off to leave this school."

I blinked again, this time feeling anger spark inside of me. What was he saying I do? Leave the school? What did he think he was, some King who could control everything? What the hell was wrong with him! I kept my cool and stared into his eyes, lifting my chin for a better look at my angry face.

"You, _Mister_, have no right to tell me what to do. But," I ignored Sakura's tugging on my arm, "you have a deal. We will be rivals from this day till the end of the school year, and we will recognize the public humiliation sent to each other." I made no sense. This whole thing made no sense. The deal made no sense whatsoever. But, publicly humiliating this arrogant puss made perfect sense.

"We have a deal." He gave me another smirk and turned on his heel to go back to the café, where his dear little friends were probably waiting for him. I watched him walk off, an odd sensation entering my mind. I had just made a bet with someone I barely even knew. What the hell was going on here? What was wrong with me? Apparently, a LOT. This was insane. Impossible. All because of that ice cream. Damn it. Stupid special deals.

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**A/N: Well, hehe, there goes my first ever chapter...ever. Please review. Thank you!**


	2. Yup, he's definitely insane

A/N: Right now my eyes are like stars. Stars, stars, stars, asteroid, stars, stars, stars...! I already have four reviews!! Wow...I really thank those people. Sniff...so kind. I never realized until now how precious reviews are. I have something to be thankful for in this harsh, cold world of fanfiction. Hehe.

Blue-sapphire

RequiemElise

Maru-chan

AutumnIllusion

**Thank you so much!!! **

Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura...but I do own a deck of cards. Hehe, I know, it's lame.

**Chapter 2: Yup, he's definitely insane...**

"Tomoyo, do you even _know_ who he is? Do you know who you've just made a bet with?"

"Yes. Hey, what do you think? Blue or red?" I held up a pair of matching sweater-wearing stuffed bears off the glass shelf and observed them critically. Sakura didn't look at either of them and stared pointedly at me. "Well, what do you think? I personally like the red one better because of its rich, bright color...it fits the Christmas spirit perfectly."

"Who cares about Christmas spirit?! What about my question? The bet?? The guy you were just with??? How can you be so calm about it??!" She placed her hands on her petite waist and gave me a 'motherly' glare. "You can't just blow it off like it doesn't matter to you! That guy you just spoke to; he is— "

"Eriol Hiiragizawa," I interrupted, still critiquing the bears. I frowned slightly and grabbed a white-sweater bear from the shelf. Then I smiled. "Hey, now I've got red, white, and blue! I can make this an American Christmas gift set..." The brunette crossed her arms and tapped her foot, an annoyed expression on her cute face. I sighed. "Sakura, I know who he is, all right? I know that he's popular, rich, smart, arrogant, dense, athletic, an idiotic MORON... need I say anything else??" She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, and that he's Syaoran's best bud?" Smirking inwardly, I could practically feel the murderous auras emanating from her body and eyes at the mention of his name. Perhaps she had some kind of alien mental power that could kill people. Those eyes were pretty dangerous... I finally put the bears back (reluctantly) and looked at my cousin as she took a deep breath.

"Tomoyo," she started in a calm voice. "Maybe you don't fully realize this, but Eriol Hiiragizawa is the most _popular_ guy in the school. Or at least, one of the most." I rolled my eyes. I knew perfectly well that he was popular. In high school, popularity equaled power. Power is what drives most people on in life. But, of course, I think the whole thing is total rubbish. I believe in the whole love, family and friends thing. I am an innocent girl in the right direction. Yessiree! ...What the hell am I talking about?

"Sakura. I don't really care about popular people and you know it." I lifted my eyebrows. "It doesn't affect me in the least if preps came up and insulted me! I could care less." She looked at the window, apparently thinking hard. "Listen, I'm sure the whole bet was only a joke...or a threat," I frowned and mentally flipped the blue-haired guy off. "He probably won't remember by tomorrow. If he does, he'll just call it off." I'm just positive he will.

My cousin bit her lip and looked back at me, a slight frown on her face. I looked back at her, determined to show that I was perfectly serious about what I'd just said. Finally, she relaxed and smiled. I smiled back wryly. Sakura could never stay non-smiling for more than a minute.

"Fine," she sighed. "But if he does remember, just say you're sorry and you'll never do it again." I gaped at her. Why, I could never do that! That was just weak! Tomoyo Daidouji never was weak. Well, my mother wasn't. But I was her daughter so it was basically all the same thing. "Tomoyo..." Sakura said in her strict tone. "I mean it, those preps can really bring you down. They've got the power of the whole school in their hands." I scoffed and flipped back my long hair. But what Sakura said was true. The preps DID have power. And if a person got on their bad side...let's just say that high school was plain hell for them.

"Sakura, don't worry, I've got it all under control. I'm not one to mess things up with people like them." I gave her an easy smile. She tilted her head and smiled back. Plus, who could possibly mess up _anything_ when dealing with popular people? Those bunch of sissies werejust areally clueless group. I glanced at my watch and did a double take. "Oh! It's already six-thirty. Darn, I told my driver to pick me up at six." I smiled apologetically and hugged Sakura. "Do you want a ride?" My driver knew where her house was, seeing as he'd drove both of us since we were little kids. She shook her head and turned to go.

"My brother's at school, so I'll just walk there. I'll see you tomorrow," she called as we went our separate ways. "Oh, and if Eriol still remembers, tell me and I'll kick his AND Li's ass for ya!" She grinned, waved and was off. I chuckled and went on my way also. Sakura's offer to beat them up was pretty typical; after all, she was one tough girl. Or, as one of the many guys out there I've overheard said, 'one feisty chick'. When they say that even I wanted to beat them over their heads with my overly heavy textbooks. Males.

The next day I woke up in a rush. My alarm didn't go off until seven-thirty and I had only five minutes to wash, change and eat. I swear, with all the money my mother has I would think I could have a decent alarm clock. But I suppose she doesn't know my problem since I've never mentioned it to her. I guess I'm just being lazy. Anyways, I didn't get much sleep because I had stayed up all night thinking about someone...with blue hair and deep blue eyes. I had dark bags under my eyes.

Straightening my uniform, I yelled a goodbye to my driver and ran into the large school. Thankfully, the bell rung after I'd reached my seat. Sakura, who was in my first period, math, took her seat next to mine just as the teacher walked into the classroom. We both panted and looked at each other, struggling not to burst out laughing. It was known that Sakura Kinomoto was a very late person, and her near tardiness every morning was something to be expected amongst the juniors.

After attendance, the teacher begun the arithmetic lesson and Sakura turned on her sleepy mode she usually had during math. I smiled at this and paid attention to the teacher, knowing today's lesson was a little complicated and something I needed to study. Soon, other students grew bored of the teacher's droning voice and began whispering to each other, sending notes and stuff. Only I understood what was coming out of the teacher's mouth.

Maybe that was why I didn't notice the looks people were giving me, and the whispers that were increasing behind me.

"Tomoyo," Sakura whispered beside me. I turned my head and saw her glaring at something behind me. I gave her a questioning look and turned to see what was going on. My eyes caught dark brown eyes and Syaroan smirked. I raised an eyebrow. Oh yeah, Sakura's ultimate rival was in our first class. He sat in the back with the rest of the "cool" people. Hmm, what did he want? Not only was he disrupting the lesson, he was pissing Sakura off. I could feel her glaring eyes of emerald ice just begging to shoot him down. He caught her eyes and sneered back. Then he stuck out his tongue. I think Sakura started that. He even scrunched his nose, crossed his eyes and pulled his ears. I seriously think those two have problems.

"Asshole's trying to ask you something," she announced softly as to get my attention. I sighed impatiently. I noticed some girls were shooting evil looks at Sakura and me. And most of them, I noticed, were preps. I didn't really care much. Syaoran started silently mouthing words, using hand motions to help define what he was messaging. I didn't get it. He rolled his eyes and tried again. Still, I didn't get it.

One of the guys next to him, Takashi Yamazaki I think, caught my eyes and grinned widely, waving a cheerful hand. I blinked and smiled a little. He whispered something to Syaoran, who in turn blinked and then scowled.

I think he finally gained some sense, because he scribbled a note, folded it and passed it along to me. I reluctantly read it:

'Meet Eriol Hiiragizawa at the stairs during lunch. Come alone; NO KINOMOTO. Do not forget.' My face turned a bit blank at these words and my heart stopped pounding. It started pumping again when I reread the note. I breathed deeply, trying to calm down. Okay, Tomoyo, it's just a meeting. He probably just wanted to discuss the bet. Perhaps he was going to call it off. Hmm, and I was supposed to skip lunch for this?

I needed to think this over. I still had two more periods until lunch. And what did he mean by stairs? I read over that part in the note again, my eyebrows furrowing. What the hell did he mean by stairs??? "Stairs?" I breathed quietly.

"He means the stairs at the front of the school," someone whispered. I jumped and looked around frantically, until I saw Sakura staring intently at the note. Oh, so she read it. I looked at the expression on her face carefully and saw that she didn't like what the note said at all. "Stupid git, he just wants to gang up on you! Dumb sniveling rat!" She hissed as she shot daggers at said rat, who in turn, I assumed, returned the favor. I sighed and folded the note, looking at the teacher again. Then, after hesitating, I looked back at Syaoran and nodded slightly. He got the message. Taking a deep breath, I tried to focus on the lesson. Key word: tried.

The bell rang. I hurriedly grabbed my bag and whisked out of the classroom with Sakura on my heels. "Tomoyo, if you're thinking about going to meet him without me, think again. I'm coming with you whether you like it or not! Whether ANYBODY likes it or not! For I, Sakura Kinomoto, will never part from my best friend's side until death, or total blackmail!" I blinked.

"That is the most pathetic speech I've ever heard," came a drawling voice. Sakura immediately narrowed her eyes and stepped out of her noble form, her emerald eyes flashing as Syaoran walked towards us. Takashi was with him, chatting amiably with another boy. I sighed and grabbed Sakura's elbow, attempting to drag her away before another verbal battle issued.

"Well," she retorted as I kept pulling her, "seeing as you never getanything into your headand your judgment for these kind of things are very poor, I suggest you keep yourpetty comments to yourself and BUG OFF!" She spun around and marched away, this time dragging ME along with her.

"Daidouji, I hope you aren't being influenced by that minx!" He called after us.

"As if!" My cousin yelled quickly. "Snot head," she muttered. I sighed.

"Sakura, you and Syaoran are so immature. You guys have known each other since, what, fourth grade?? Don't you think six years is long enough to let the past go?" I managed to keep up with her lengthening strides as we neared the gym. She grunted quietly but didn't say anything else, to my surprise and relief.

Our next period was P.E, so we went into the locker room and changed into our P.E uniforms consisting of red shirts and black shorts. As we jogged out to our gym, I glanced at the other gym rooms connected to ours. Through one open door, I caught a glimpse of running students and—

A flash of blue.

Oh dear heavens I did not just see blue.

No, I absolutely did not.

Absolutely, positively did not see blue.

Never.

Eriol Hiiragizawa.

Damn—!

"Tomoyo!" I woke out of my daze just in time to crash into the wall. I fell on my bottom and blinked, seeing stars, daisies and birdies. Soon, twenty Sakura's stood before me, every one of them frowning in concern. I grinned a little goofily and giggled. This was kind of fun. I shook my head slightly and rubbed my nose.Finally my vision cleared and Sakura helped me up.

"Tom, your nose is red," my best friend informed me as the class began to settle down. I would have been mortified and embarrassed that I had just ran into a wall, but the pain in my nose was kind of bothering me. And besides, the sight of Hiiragizawa in the same building as me at the exact same time boggled me. Well, I've never really seen him in the gym before because he wasn't in the same class as me. There were six different auxiliary gyms in the building, and one big auditorium in the center. So it made sense that I'd never seen him until now. I groaned and rubbed my poor nose.

"Great, I run into a door, now I run into a wall. What next?" I cried out half-fake with despair. Sakura giggled and patted my back. Then a dark look crossed her face. I backed away at the sudden evil change.

"That Li better watch his stupid ass! I'm going to follow you and make sure nothing happens!" I blinked and gave her an uncertain smile as she glared. "He's probably tricking you into doing something...just so that he can earn Eriol's good side!"

I smiled amusedly. "Why would he want to get on Hiiragizawa's good side? They're best friends, Kura." She snorted but didn't say anything. I cocked my head. This was the second time in less than an hour she hadn't retorted at anything smart I said. Surprising. Usually she was spewing and spitting fire, her spirit never undaunted, but now...obviously she was thinking about something. Something very important. I would ask her later. We turned our attention to the teacher, who was just finished talking.

"...and Friday, we will have the tournament. Okay, everybody start running! You're legs need to be warmed up before we go into gymnastics!" Aaaaand what was that?? I blinked and got up as everybody started running around the gym, muttering to each other.

"What did he say?" I asked Sakura as we ran slowly. She shrugged.

"I don't know. I was talking to you." I sighed and looked over my shoulder. One of my other good friends, Chiharu Mihara, was jogging slowly behind us. I slowed down and asked her the same question. Her auburn pig-tails bounced as she smiled excitedly.

"We're going to hold a basketball tournament this Friday!" Sakura slowed down to run with us. She had a surprised look on her face.

"Are you serious? Cool!" She grinned fiercely, almost smugly. I think the word 'competition' was slowly being branded in her head.

"Yeah," I said quietly, smiling. I, for some reason, loved basketball. Although I wasn't into sports, and I hardly joined any teams at school, I liked dribbling basketballs and shooting them into baskets. I was pretty good at it too. I was a quiet, calm girl at school, but when I was at home, my attitude was fiercer than any chimpanzee. Of course I don't know what I mean by that...oh well. Anyways, I practiced a lot at home, and sometimes Sakura, Chiharu, and some other girls would practice with me. It would be a girl's basketball game at my home sweet home.

Chiharu began talking about how tomorrow was going to be fun and how much she was going to practice tonight. I understood why she was so happy because she loved sports, especially basketball. In fact, she joined cheerleading just so she could sit in the front row and watch the boy's basketball play. It suited her because she had so much energy. Sakura was in cheerleading also, but for what reason I still did not know. I think it had something to do with a certain chocolate-eyed junior being on the varsity team.

"Tomoyo... Tomoyo? Earth to Tomoyo!!" I glanced up quickly and looked at Chiharu. "Good, I thought that run into the wall gave you A.D.D. or something," she said good-naturedly. I blushed in embarrassment. Darn, somebody else saw! "Well, the other part is that the other five classes are going to be in the tournament. This will be so fun..! I think Yamazaki is in Class D..." she trailed off and soon she and Sakura were discussing their plans of beating a certain boy's butt.

I was frozen...mentally. Everyone in the gym was going to be in this? That would mean that...

...Eriol Hiiragizawa would be there too. We would see each other. What if I was in one of those teams competing? What if HE was in one of those teams? I mentally put these two together... I would be pulverized. A squashed rooster. A massacred rabbit.

Wait a minute, what was I talking about? Of course I was going to be in the team! I was going to face that arrogant clown with all the Daidouji spirit vested in me! I was not going to back down!! I would show that I was a determined girl when I wanted to be! Okay, enough pep talk. If I was going to meet him at lunch, I was going to need every ounce of wit and control I had.

The next period went by quickly, and it was Sakura-Syaoran free. I kept my calm as the bell rung, signaling lunchtime. Holding my bag tightly, I went to the front entrance and waited there. The stairs were outside, but I didn't want to stand out there on the steps. No, I would look like a dork then. Not that I wasn't in the first place...no. I wasn't a dork. I was average.

So if I was average, why was I betting with one of THE hottest guys in the school? Why did I agree to become rivals with him? Was my pride and anger really worth all this trouble? We were _rivals_ for goodness sake.

A Sakura-Syaoran twin. Oh dear.

Suddenly, a hand touched my shoulder, and I spun around, holding back a scream. I realized it was only Sakura. She was out of breath and a pissed off look was etched on her face. I swallowed. What was up with her?

"Tomoyo, I just ran into Li and he tried to start a fight with me! The nerve of that bastard! I think he was trying to distract me, but then I remembered your meeting here..." she narrowed her eyes. I blinked. "I think Eriol's trying to set you up. This is probably all a trick or something." She muttered to herself and looked around. I looked around also, nervously clasping my bag. Was she right? Was Er-Hiiragizawa really trying to trick me?

Just a minute here. Why was I being nervous? There was nothing to be nervous about. He was just another prep...another guy who played with ladies and acted like he was King of the universe.Yes, that was Hiiragizawa all right. I narrowed my eyes in determination and stood straight. I remembered the arrogant smirk hovering around his lips as he challenged me. The familiar irritation and anger swept through me again. I smirked to myself. I would face him like the girl I was.

Sakura must have seen my sudden determination (or break to insanity) because her eyes widened and she looked uneasy. "Uh, you can stop looking like that now. It's a little scary..." I eyed her confusedly. "You know, the smirk, the glare, the malicious air... hey, I rhymed!" She smiled delightedly at me as I raised an eyebrow.

"Looks like he's not coming," I remarked shortly. I glanced at my watch and noticed that I'd already waited ten minutes. Damnation. Only twenty minutes left of lunch. I snorted mentally. "I knew it. He's just one of those airy-headed jocks with nothing in mind but sports and sex!" Oooh, good one. Sakura looked a little appalled at this, but I was too revved up to stop talking. "He was only trying to save face when he made that bet with me. And for a while back there I thought he actually had a brain. Well, guess not! And you know what? I think he forgot. Yes, he _forgot_. Tchah, figures. A guy with nothing in his head but dust wouldn't remember his own bet. I don't even know why I agreed to it! It's obvious that he was only saying words. And guess what? All my pride and rage, wasted! Arrogant _prick_!" Ding, ding, ding!!

As I took a breath, I smiled triumphantly at Sakura. Since I was facing the wall, which she was leaning against, I didn't see what she was staring so horrified at. A sharp sound suddenly erupted, and I nearly jumped. Somebody was clapping. The sound echoed eerily in the empty hall, and I was almost afraid to turn around.

"And I thought Kinomoto's speech was crappy," a familiar voice commented dryly. I turned around slowly, expecting to see Syaoran. I saw him all right. He was alreadybusy having a glaring contest with Sakura. Who I didn't expect was the guy beside him.

It was Eriol Hiiragizawa. (dum, dum, dum)

"Syaoran," he said in his quiet, deep voice, his eyes never leaving mine. I swallowed. The brown-haired boy beside him nodded slightly.

"Oi, Kinomoto. Care to continue that little fight you ran away from?" Syaoran's taunting words seemed to drive Sakura up the wall, because she growled under her breath.

"It wasn't even a fight! You started it!" I could tell she was trying hard to keep her temper in check. I admired her determination. But I was getting nervous...a pair of blue eyes never broke its intense gaze on me. "Tomoyo," Sakura gritted out quietly. I turned slightly to hear her. "Let's go." I blinked, gathered my senses and nodded jerkily. As I followed her out the door, I heard Syaoran yelling and someone grabbed my wrist. I was quickly pulled back into the hall. Whoa... a rapist?!?

"H-hey let me go!" I turned to see Hiiragizawa looking down at me with cool eyes, a passive expression on his handsome face. Indignation swept through me. What was he doing, touching me as if he had every right to?! I gave him a swift glare and wrenched my wrist from his grip. I realized Sakura was outside, and Syaoran was with her. They were having another verbal match. Without a second glance, I walked out through the doors where Sakura was screaming at the equally enraged Syaoran.

"Let them fight it out," said the calm voice. Hiiragizawa had followed me out. I tried to turn a deaf ear at the source of the voice, but then I felt something warm tickling my "deaf" ear. "You seem to think you know a lot about me..." He was talking intosaid "deaf" ear. He was way too close. My alarms were going off. "Well, since you obviously didn't forget about our little bet, why don't I get it started?" I shivered slightly as his breath hit my cheek. I tried to turn away, but he suddenly held my shoulders firmly from behind. I flushed deeply, knowing our position looked a little...weird. Should I kick him? Perhaps whirl around and knee him where it hurts? But his grip was pretty strong. I would probably break my collarbone trying to turn. I had to talk my way out of this. Prepare for Daidouji's legendary silver tongue.

"What do you mean? H-How would you get it started?" I croaked.Oh...that was_silver_ all right. Ibarely noticed Sakura and Syaoran moving farther and farther out of sight, still yelling bloody murder at each other. My heart was racing; what should I do??

"Hmm, glad you asked," he teased softly. I glared at the ground. I could hear his annoyingly arrogant voice taunting me. I hated players like him. HATE them."This Friday, during the basketball tournament...I want to see you there." I blinked. He wanted to see me there? How did he know I had that same class during that period? No matter, it wasn't important now.

"I'm going to be there, of course. Everyone is," I scoffed, stepping forward to free myself. His hold didn't budge, and neither did I. Stupid Hiiragizawa. He was starting to annoy the hell out of me. "Now what?" I snapped. "I said I was going to be there! Now let go!" I reached up to pry his hands off but then he spun me around to face him. I squinted up like he was the sun, backing away slightly when I realized how close we were. He smirked. I glared, tryingextremelyhard not to kick him.

"I want you to be in the tournament...as in, playing basketball."

Oh.

Darn. Darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn!

"Why?" Was the only question I could come up with. He tilted his head and smirked, finally letting go of me. For a moment he actually looked _cute_. But I'll be damned if I told him _that_.

"I'm going to show the school how pathetic you are."

Forget what I said. That bastard. That stupid asswipe of a...a banana!!

I, Tomoyo Daidouji, was not a person who could be easily provoked. I rarely even stayed angry with someone for so long. I was normally at peace with everything. I was like a calm as a...log. Never was I fire. But when someone particularly irritating and aggravating as Hiiragizawa here pushed my buttons, it was like a lit match being thrown at me. And I, the peaceful log, catch fire. Easily. Like right now.

I narrowed my eyes at the guy before me and answered his challenge with a smirk of my own.

"A prep like you shouldn't be able to say the word pathetic," was my finishing touch. He stared at me with surprised eyes, but then slowly smirked, a very-much sadistic look settling on his face.

It was on.

**A/N: Well, I kind of wrote this in a hurry. It's not as good as I would haveliked it to be. Well, I hope everybodyenjoyed it anyways! Thank you, and please review! **


	3. This is insanity

**Chapter 3: This is Insanity**

* * *

When I was finally able to drag Sakura away from Syaoran, who was practically frothing at the mouth (actually, so was Sakura), we decided to meet at her place after school. Hiiragizawa (that stupid pompous jerk) left with Syaoran while I was busy glaring at him, and his parting words still pissed the hell out of me.

_"Remember, if you chicken out, I'm going to announce the whole school how cowardly you are." His eyes flashed. "And you'll learn to respect people of higher status than you in the future." _

I was _not_ happy when he said that. I proved so by throwing a twig at his turned head. Of course, I missed entirely and hit Sakura's forehead. And she was _directly behind_ me. I'm supposed to play basketball against him? Against the star basketball playerof the varsity team?? I am so hopeless.

By the time school was over my angerhad cooled off and I started to feel worried. Yup, _now _I feel worried. Perhaps betting with Hiiragizawa was a bad idea after all. He had the whole entire school behind him, cheering and loving...while I had a geek squad dying to get my phone number so that I could "study-oh-so-intelligently" with them. Bleh.

Sakura and I arrived at her house and went up to her room. Not too long after we sat down, Touya, Sakura's one and older protective brother, opened the door.

"Oh, hey Tomoyo, are you and my sister going to gossip?" He asked casually. Sakura glared at him and threw a well-aimed pillow at his face, which he caught calmly. She then commenced in throwing a very heavy shoe, which he deflected with the stolen pillow easily. I rather think they were used to this brother-sister 'I-love-you' routine.

"Get out! Big brothers are such a pain!" The emerald-eyed girl huffed as she got up to shut the door. Touya, being the tall guy he was, balanced the pillow and shoe on her head and closed the door after him, just as the said pillow and shoe banged off the wooden surface. Sakura lay back down on her pink bed and hugged the Hello Kitty pillow, resuming her serious face.

"So, where were we?" she asked. Suddenly, a yellow flying thing flashed by and stopped by her face. It was Kero, the Guardian of the Clow Cards...or something like that. I never got the title right. The small bear doll-look-a-like fluttered energetically and landed on Sakura's shoulder.

"Hey, Sakura! So did you beat up Li's ass like you said you would?" he asked loudly. The brunette made a face at the name. I raised an eyebrow. She actually announced it to Kero...?

"That stupid little monkey tried to start a freaking _fist fight_ with me!! He claimed he was stronger than I was any day and that the time I beat him in fourth grade didn't even count! What the hell was it supposed to be, then?? Some practice battle I had with a bunch of magical cards?!" She continued to pound the bed, a ferocious look on her face. Kero quietly grabbed some dried avocadoes and munched quietly on them as I made an expression. "The dirty windbag! As if I would sink so low as to have a physical fight with HIM!! Why, I'd never get expelled from school just because I got caught fighting with him! Never!" She then grabbed Kero's green snacks and shook them in the air as the yellow guardian flew after it, flustered.

"Hey!" The avocado flew about rapidly.

"I SHALT NOT LET A MEASLY BOY LIKE HIM GET AWAY WITH HIS INSULTS!!!!! HE SHALL FEEL THE PAIN AS MY FOOT GOES UP HIS ASS AND—AND I KICK HIS WEINER!!!" I choked. Weiner? I think she lost it.

The door suddenly opened and Tory stuck his head in. "Little monster, will you please keep your tantrum to a minimum? Some people are trying to live life peacefully." He quickly disappeared as a well-aimed pair of scissors knocked sharply on the war-beaten door.

"I was on a roll here, dang it!" She cried in dismay.

"Well, it's a good thing your brother interrupted you!" Kero was rummaging on the ground next to me for the fallen avocadoes (which I eyed disgustedly) and was eating them contentedly. "You were about to kill some people—mainly avocadoes." Sakura blinked in confusion.

"But avocadoes aren't people—they're food." Kero nodded emphatically as he stuffed some leftover pop tarts that were sitting on Sakura's messy desk. The girl shrugged and turned back to me. I was sitting quietly on the ground, playing with a plushie thoughtfully.

"Anyways, where were we? Ah!" She leaned forward gravely and asked me, "So what are you going to do about Eriol's bet?" Hmm, well, I'd been pondering that same exact question for the past few hours. What a surprise. Of course, I kept my sarcastic comment to myself and shrugged.

"I guess I'll just have to do it," I said carelessly. "My honor and pride is kind of on the line, and I don't really want to be the school's laughing stock." I acted really cool about it, but inside I was jumping with anxiety. Sakura munched on a forgotten avocado slowly and sighed for me, smiling. I raised my eyebrow at the smile.

"Tomoyo, I think this is going quite well." I blinked at her words. What did she mean? It was perfectly fine for me to be enemies with the school's hottest jock and jerk? Was she out of her mind??! "No, I'm not out of my mind." She looked at me with a queer expression on her face. I think the avocado was giving her indigestion. It was also messing up her brain. "Tomoyo, think about it. You are enemies with the school's hottest guy after a fateful encounter at a café. He made a bet that if you don't compete with him face-to-face, you'll be a looser. You get angry with him and passionately hate him even more, and accept the bet. And then you guys make up and fall in love!" I blinked. Uh, she lost me at the "love" part. Her face was uplifted and her emerald eyes were like...emerald. She sighed occasionally in her daydream and clasped her hands together like a maiden. And to think _she_ accused me of being overdramatic.

"Sakura, first of all, I don't see how 'love' and 'Hiiragizawa' goes together in one sentence—"

"I didn't say them in one sentence, Tomoyo." I ignored her.

"—And I certainly don't _hate_ him. I'm just _annoyed _with him and disagree with his personality." I looked at her pointedly and kept a stern face. She rolled her eyes and sat back on the bed headboard.

"Tomoyo, Tomoyo; you reallydon't see,do you?" She sighed for the umpteenth time. "You're already so deep into fate's plot that you can't see how much you and Eriol are meant to be." I almost threw a doll at her head, but restrained myself. "In fact, I bet you two are already starting to feel the tiny ray of love and fondness growing in your hearts. You two are so stubborn that you deny it and continue to live in a false illusion that you hate each other. But really, deep inside, you two love each other and want to be together. And one fine day, after all the fighting and heart-breaking is over, you two will come together, hands and lips—" I had had enough of this. The mental image of Hiiragizawa and me...I blushed slightly.

"Sakura. I think your lovely idea fits you and Syaoran perfectly." She broke out of her starry gaze and pulled a horrified face. "But I'm afraid it doesn't match my situation at all. I do not hate Hiiragizawa, and I don't care about how romantic our situation seems. This is not a romance novel and it's not going to be a love-hate relationship." She sighed in disappointment. I rolled my eyes.

Ho, ho, ho.

I am such a liar.

Okay, so maybe what I said about not hating Hiiragizawa was true. But I did have a small romantic thought about him and I. Deep inside I was really hoping for a drama-like encounter with him, and perhaps find the love of my dreams. I think I read too many romance novels. But still, I was secretly hoping for the kind of love-hate story line that all books contained. The kind that Sakura was talking about.

I kept thinking about Sakura's words when I walked back home, wondering if anything romantic would occur out of all this. It would be nice—but there were downfalls. For example, Hiiragizawa.

The blue-haired boy was the cause of all my troubles. He was the one I was betting with, and he was the one that was messing up Sakura's matchmaking mind. His threat unnerved me, and the bet itself made me nervous. But at least I had one consolation; I always felt the familiar raw, fiery energy that gnawed me whenever I thought about competing against someone and winning. Call it a competitive streak: a pride and honor thing.

Well, I had to do something about the bet. I'd already accepted it, so it was too late to back out—even if I did want to. And I wasn't at too bad of an advantage. In fact, I _did_ have an advantage. Hiiragizawa didn't know I played basketball...quite well, actually. And I knew most of his strengths and weaknesses in sports; there were websites about him everywhere. Most of them written by girls...and a few boys. Ew.

I decided to practice some hard-core basketball right when I got home.

But of course, just as I was going to my room, my mother had to stop me.

She said it was something very important. I realized this when she took me to a private, soundproof room on the highest floor of the mansion. "Tomoyo, dear, I want to give you something that belonged to the women in this family." She pulled out a small, age-worn box that squeaked when it was opened. I looked at it curiously. She then took out...a small, rubber ducky. I blinked. "Oh, oops! Now, how did this thing get in here?" The duck was thrown away unceremoniously and she peered into the dusty box. "Ah, here it is." She smiled serenely as she took out a slender, silver-chained necklace. A tiny ruby-encrusted butterfly hung on it like it was about to fly off. Closer examination revealed its gold antennas and sapphire, minuscule eyes. It was...expensive looking. Cha-ching.

My mother smiled wider as she carefully clasped the delicate chain around my neck, letting the butterfly rest between my collarbones. She sighed blissfully.

All girls loved pretty stuff; even practical ones like me. Especially me. Oh yes. I cooed over the beautiful necklace and was delightedat the way the light chain didn't irritate my skin. Mother explained the history of the necklace, saying that Sayuri Daidouji, the first woman married into the Daidouji family, created it. Sayuri was supposed to have sorceress powers, so she bestowed some "magical properties" on the butterfly. The wearer of the charm would be blessed with luck and fortune.

And of course, I believed it. I mean, I've seen Sakura and Syaoran fighting against magical Clow Cards! That's good enough reason to believe.

…

Um, Yeah...

And I was hoping the charm would work for me when I played against Hiiragizawa.

After the necklace incident, I went "out" to the basketball court and began to practice. The mansion was pretty big, if I may say so myself, so there was room for a gym and weight room. They were almost never used, and the maids usually had a hard time cleaning the dust and polishing metal stuff.

But never fear! I, Tomoyo, was here! I would use the gym...well, half of it.

I practiced playing one-on-one, dribbling, dodging, faking, passing and shooting. Of course, shooting was my most important strategy because the particularly good thing I could do was aim and shoot at any distance. Even half-court shots.

Five minutes later I was sweating, panting and gasping for air like a wheezing old man on...on something. Ugh. I was so not cut out for endurance.

"Miss Tomoyo, a call for you," one of the maids said at the gym entrance. I took it, trying to breath normally.

"Hello?" I said.

"Tomoyo!" It was Sakura. "Hey, I just realized that you should start practicing basketball." Oh, well, yes, it occurred to me also. "I have this great idea. Why don't Chiharu, Rika and I come over and we can all practice for the tournament?" I blinked and smiled. Rika was another good friend who was sweet and smart. She also practiced basketball and other sports with us. It was a good idea! Sakura was a genius sometimes. Sometimes.

"That would be great, Sakura!" She laughed happily.

"This is going to so fun! Okay, Tomoyo, we're coming in!" I blinked.

"Wh-what? C-coming in? Right now?! How, where, when..." I stopped and stared at the door. Sakura, Chiharu and Rika were standing there with big grins on their faces. I breathed out and broke into a smile also. "Sakura! You guys scared the crap out of me!" But I forgave them.

Chiharu and me were on one team and Sakura and Rika were on the other. We all played a game, shouting advice and warnings to each other. It was hard work, but very fun, and by the time we called for quits we were sweaty, tired, but satisfied. I had begun to learn my own weaknesses and strengths, and my muscles were back into shape. At least, I liked to think they were. They were really sore.

That evening Sakura slept over for the night and we stayed awake until the late hours, talking, _gossiping_ and just having a fun time. She pointed out my necklace, which I wore under my shirt, and she said she felt a little magic. I was so excited when she asked to see it that I begun to hope the charm was really lucky. But then she said it was only the vast amounts of stones that effected her senses. How disappointing. But the rest of the night went very that I tried not to think about a certain blue-eyed boy. But he just kept popping into my mind for some reason.

The next day Sakura and I practiced basketball, but Chiharu and Rika had to stay after school to work on the school newspaper. I would liked to have joined the newspaper class, but the head of the staff, a tall, goggle-eyed boy, looked at me a little too intently whenever he saw me and freaked me out, so I decided not to.

Hmm...why do I always attract the geeks? Is it because I'm one too?? Perhaps...

One evening I was practicing with Sakura, and the idea of me playing against Hiiragizawa kept distracting me. "Tomoyo, concentrate! If Eriol expects you to play against him, you have to beat all the other teams first! Obviously he means to meet you at the top!" I sighed reluctantly and guarded Sakura as she speeded towards the basket. An image of Hiiragizawa dribbling the ball down the court with his hair swaying, his eyes narrowed in absorption and sweat causing his t-shirt to cling onto his body suddenly loomed into my mind. It's quite safe to say that I was distracted. "Tomoyo, watch out!" The ball hit me hard on the head. Oh dear.

And suddenly...it was Friday.

I lay awake in bed, staring up at the white ceiling. Am I really so unfortunate as to always be picked on? It was causing me so much stress that I think I was growing wrinkles. And was that a white hair I saw...? Why couldn't Friday have been skipped? WHY?? And why isn't this necklace working? Work, butterfly, work! Come on, work your charm...aw, darn.

When I arrived at school everyone stopped to stare at me, whispering. Great, now people were spreading rumors about me. When will my curse end?

"Tomoyo!" As I was sitting in homeroom quietly, Sakura hurried over to me, an excited look on her face. "Guess what?"

"The school is going to be painted pink with flowers and duckies as wallpaper," I said wearily. She was too excited to notice my lack of enthusiasm.

"Nope! For the tournament today—" I suddenly sat up straight.

"It's going to be cancelled! Yes!" I shouted in my victory. The whole class turned to stare at me. I was too excited to care now.

"No," Sakura said frowningly. "You should be glad it's not cancelled. But I'll tell you something else. The whole school's going to watch it and it's going to be in the school newspaper! And another thing, your bet with Eriol was announced to the school, and everyone's betting on you guys!" Sakura squealed joyously and clapped her hands. I...froze.

"Noooooooooooooo...nooooooooooooooooooo..." I groaned aloud, sinking on the table. Then I started to hiccup. People were really starting to stare at me. I was too aghast to care. The whole freaking school was going to watch me play basketball against Eriol...er, Hiiragizawa. How the hell was I going to pull this off?? And now everyone was betting on us?! My life as an average high school student was destroyed.

Well, there was a tiny glimmer of hope. I could always run away and live in Madagascar along with all those animals...eh, that wouldn't do.

I would hide in a box and call myself Bob.

"Tomoyo, are okay?" Sakura's big green eyes stared at me worriedly. "Hello, Earth to Tomoyo! Hey, it's going to be all right. There's nothing wrong with everyone knowing you're enemies with Eriol. Everyone knows Li and I hate each other." I eyed her glumly.

"But I don't want to attract any attention!" I wailed.

"You already do," Sakura said gently. I stared at her. "You're the smartest person in this whole school, and you're very attractive, Tomoyo. There's no way you _don't_ attract attention." Aw...whizzes. Life was too much for me.

I sighed and buried my head in my arms.

The morning went by both slow and fast for me. When the tournament was announced over the speaker, everyone started talking excitedly. They started to glance at me and whisper. Eh...maybe they were glad that the rest of the school day was going to be off?

When it was time for the tournament, I went to dress into my shorts and t-shirt with Sakura.

"I HATE HIIRAGIZAWA!!!" I yelled passionately. Sakura blinked.

"Why?" I angrily kicked my shoes into my locker and took out my running shoes.

"Because at least fifty people has stopped me and asked me what the hell was going on between that _jerk_ and me, and all the preps except for him told me they pitied me and I should just give up. All these fan girls mobbed me and told me not to even dare think about trying to hurt their 'dear, sweet Eriol'. Hah! I plan to do more than that! I WILL ANHIALATE HIM!!!!!" By this time my anger had cooled and everyone in the locker room looked scared. Sakura patted my arm and nodded sympathetically. I breathed deeply.

"Well, I guess it's time, Tomoyo," Chiharu said as she and Rika met us at the locker doors. I nodded slowly. It was time...to kill Hiiragizawa. But first I had to go pee.

The center gymnasium was packed with students and teachers, all talking excitedly about the tournament. As I stood with my class on the sidelines, I watched the doors on the other side of the gym warily. From there would come out the devil.

"Now, this tournament was originally supposed to be a bit of fun for you kids," our teacher told us, "but now that the whole school's watching, I guess this is a bit of entertainment for everyone." He smiled happily and divided us into teams. _How...?_

How could he be happy at a time like THIS???

I guess it's because...like he said...It wasfun.

Funny. Haha. Ha. Ha.

To my utmost relief, Sakura and Chiharu were in my team. Rika was sadly in the other team, but life can't be perfect. I felt a little bit of gratitude towards the happy teacher.

"Ready to kick some butt?" Sakura exclaimed. Chiharu whooped and slapped my back. I stared at the ground numbly. Where were the other classes? Where was he?Where did he run to?!?!

"Tomoyo?" I didn't pay attention. I was too busy glaring at the doors. "Tomoyo? Eh..."

"Um, Tomoyo? I-I think you wore your...uniform...wrong..." My eyes snapped back to Sakura, who was staring at my clothes in shock. Chiharu looked a bit more amused.

"Tomoyo, it seems you wore your uniform inside out."

Hell no.

My eyes widened as I stared down at my clothes. She was right. Both shirt and pants were inside out. Not only that...my socks were mismatched.

I looked at Sakura and Chiharu in dismay. No wonder everyone in the crowd was staring at me! I must have been too distracted or something while dressing...

"Mr. Al?" I went up to our P.E. teacher. He was frowning, staring at the other doors that led to the other classes we were competing against. "May I go back to the locker room? I have to ch—" Suddenly, a loud cheering sound came from the stands as the doors opened, revealing the other classes. Mr. Al was calling our class elatedly as the cheering grew louder.

"Daidouji, go back to your team! No one can go anywhere now, the game is starting!" Oh crap. This teacher was way too infuriating. Couldn't he see how I was dressed? I anxiously patted my long hair, wondering if maybe there was something wrong with the braid. Well, at least my true inner-basketball self was ready.

My heart stopped and jumped and did somersaults as I caught sight of Eriol Hiiragizawa and his flashy blue hair.

Maybe I wasn't quite ready.

Everyone was probably wondering how I, the geeky, quiet, shy, innocent Daidouji, got into this spot. This stupid bet.

Well, I wasn't wondering. I knew how it happened, and I wasn't about to back down. Messed up uniform and all.

"And now, introducing our junior class physical education teams..." I swallowed and stared at the crowd as the announcer shouted. "...Al's class!" Oh great. The spotlights landed on us as we stood in a straight line, blinking at the bright light. Since when did they turn the lights off? Another minute and they'll be playing music—

The Hey song came booming out from the pep bandstands. Hey! I love this song! The announcer, er, announced the next teams. "Seri's class..." More cheers. "Kaede's class..." More cheers. "Aaaand Ganja's class, who is currently having a substitute... Terada!" I blinked. No way. The students all screamed and pounded and did funky dances when the last team took turn under the evil spotlight.

What the hell was Rika's sweetheart doing on Hiiragizawa's team??!! That traitor!!! My indignation suddenly fired up my fuel and I smirked confidently. I would show that sensei when and when not to mess with Tomoyo Daidouji!!!

...I do not know why I'm so angry with him being teacher of the enemy's team. In fact, I have no problem with it at all. I'm just suddenly determined to defeat Hiiragizawa...really badly.

The first teams to go up were Kaede #1 and Seri #1. I watched them anxiously as their split teams and jog to the court. I swallowed and grew more nervous as we watched them play. They were pretty good. Hopefully the other teams weren't better than them.

Sakura nudged me and whispered random things. "Tomoyo, I'm really excited, what about you? Li's on the other team, same on as Eriol. I'm sure everything will be fine. You trained for this day, Tomoyo. I always get comforted by the fact that I like pink...like Cherry Blossoms. There's a Cherry Blossom tree outside right now. In fact, I have some flowers in my bedroom. I look at them every night. I got a bear and I named it Sakura, just like me, and I cuddle with it every night just as I look at the flowers every night. It calms my soul...you should do it too." Chiharu sighed and rolled her eyes at me. Sakura was really nervous, I could tell. That reminded me, I didn't get to ask her about why she was so quiet that day...hmmm.

"And Tomoyo? I was eating some sausages last night, just to satisfy my appetite, but when I woke up I was like—whoa, I think Eriol's staring at you." That caught my attention. Sakura was frowning across the gym at something, and I was determined not to look. Her emerald eyes sparkled at me as I stared at the ground. "Tomoyo..." she said slyly.

"What?" She took my head and turned it so I was facing the 'somebody' she was recently staring at. I found myself staring into blue eyes. They were staring right at me. I gulped, trying to break away from the intense _stare_, but for some reason I couldn't break away. It was like he was trying to stare me down...

Ah hah! I get it! He was trying to have a _staring contest_ with me! My brain slowly caught up with the wacky conclusion, but I didn't let it argue. I started staring widely at the staring boy. He was quite good. At staring. But so was I.

I had long contests with my mom's goldfishes at home. I know, I have no life.

Our unofficial staring contest went on for a while, until finally, he smirked and winked. I blinked. DAMN! He smirked wider, signifying that I lost. That stupid cheater!

Suddenly, the crowd erupted into screams and cheers as the buzz bell rang out. The first round was over. The Seri team (#1) jogged around the court, celebrating their minor victory. I continued to glare at Hiiragizawa, but he turned and started talking to Li. I blinked again. Where did Li come from? I turned to ask Sakura, but she was too busy glaring at him to notice.

And then... "The next teams are Kaede team #2 and Terada team #1!" I watched as Hiiragizawa and his team stood up, mostly boys, stretching and waving at the crowd. Huh. Figures.

And then... Hiiragizawa did the last thing I ever expected him to do.

He gave me the peace sign and winked again.

What. The. Hell.

**A/N: Hmmm, personally, I thought this chapter was a little boring...too much inner conflict and no action. But the inner conflict has to be let out and cleared before action comes. So yeah. Yup. Mm Hmm. **


	4. Remind me again

Well, first, let's bless these peops...

Esmi

RequiemElise

Aik0

black shinigami

Tritomy99

Michelle

A/N: I'm so glad there are people reading my little story...Thank you all so much!!! Oh, and I've changed a _little _bit of stuffies in here.

**Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own Card Captors...doesn't everybody know that? **

Chapter 4: Remind me again...

I watched in awe as the basketball team full of jocks (a.k.a. Hiiragizawa, Syaoran and the rest of them) dribbled down the court and continuously made 3-point shots. The blue-haired star made effortless attempts to making half the team's score. The game was over in an impressive five minutes.

Did I feel nervous by now?

Like hell I did.

I swallowed. The winning team went to their original seats, smirking triumphantly at everybody who cared to watch...which was many. Feeling Hiiragizawa's eyes on me I quickly turned to Sakura and Chiharu and desperately started a conversation. "So, uh, you guys excited?" What a _beautiful_ question. They paid no attention to me whatsoever as they stared at Syaoran and Yamazaki, who were talking and jostling each other as they sat beside Hiiragizawa. I sighed.

Rika's team and Terada sensei's other team went up and battled...I mean played. I made a mental note to sympathize about the girl's situation later (for...ah, there was a connection between sensei and her), but right now, I was too engrossed in my own inner conflicts to care much. Insert smiley face here.

It really was unfair that I was on Er-Hiiragizawa's bad side. I mean, we knew each other briefly when we were in elementary school, but nothing more came out of that. He became the popular guy and Sakura and I the common peoples. And then Syaoran had to go and become best friends with the guy after he and Sakura fought over a tiny little mishap. I was disappointed to not see them get together. All my hard work with the video camera. All those nights running around and chasing them as they fought against...cards. All that exercise!!... I held a grudge against them still.

Now I was enemy with the blue-eyed wonder, whom the school worshipped, even the stalking nerds. Yeah, how messed up was that? I mean, I didn't even _know_ him. All I knew was that he was rich, handsome, intelligent, athletic and didn't give a damn about anything that didn't have to do with him. That could explain his oh-so-sympathetic actions toward me recently.

And here I was, sitting miserably on the ground about to have a match against _Him _(Hiiragizawa, not the devil...though it can be connected...). Not an academic match, where I would have a slight advantage, nor music, where I would have a.....decent advantage, nor holding a staring contest with goldfishes, a superior advantage that none would have over _moi._

No, I had to face off E-Hiiragizawa in a basketball game in front of hundreds of high school students who are betting for me or against me.

Where had Tomoyo Daidouji, heiress of Mother's Toy Company Place, gone wrong? Where? Did I toilet paper his house? No! Did I pee on his head? NO! Did I do anything to deserve this? ...Uh...now, _what did I do that day at the café_?

Oh-ho-ho...yes. The memories of that day put a smile on my face. No, wait, I shouldn't be smiling! I dropped the smile and frowned forlornly. It was because of THAT incident that I was in this huge pile of a mess.

But...it was very Funny. Oh, yes, FUNNY. The smile switched back on.

However...if it weren't for the stupid banana peel I wouldn't have been put under all this stress. I was wearing my entire outfit inside out for goodness sake!

If only I hadn't listened to Sakura when she said she wanted me to throw away her lunch, which Syaoran had held for ten seconds, saying there were snakes in it. Then she wouldn't have been hungry and begging to go to the new café. Then I met Hiiragizawa and the banana peel and the whole bet.

I should have _made_ her eat the bloody lunch.

"Tomoyo..." I looked up with wide eyes and stared at the standing Sakura and Chiharu. "We're up." My heart sank and my throat felt dry. I could feel the whole school's eyes on my team as we walked to the court. Sakura was nervous also, and she sent me a weak smile that was obviously meant to cheer me up.

Oh, but it gave me strength. I attempted a smile and turned my attention back to the court. We were up against Kaede #2, the class that had gone up first. I swallowed, remembering the way they had played and hoped I would make it through without injuries. After all, it wasn't like I was some macho woman. Nah, that was Sakura.

The boy guarding me eyed me up and down and smirked. I tried my best not to make a face but nodded amiably. His team obviously didn't take me very seriously, and that thought made me irritated. It also fired my system up. My adrenaline started pumping. I was just as good as Sakura (though they didn't know) and she was _pretty_ good. Well, I'll just have to show them. Muah ha hah.

I had been previously nervous because Hiiragizawa, and the rest of the damn school, would be watching me closely, but now I cast the worry away. Sports have always been the least good thing I could do, but I was adequate and pretty darn good. Besides...

**The Daidouji charm would help and protect me**. If it didn't...I'd be in deep _pashoonk_...whatever the heck that meant.I clutched the necklace around me neck and stared at the boy determinedly.

The whistle blew and the game started.

Hah, they never expected _that_! Ooh, they didn't expect that one either! I was in my element (sort of) now as I raced up and down the court, jumping for the ball like a baboon. By this time I think everybody forgot about my outfit and paid more attention to my powerful skills. Which is what we all want.

I forgot about everything else around me except for the game. My entire focus was getting the ball and shooting it in that basket thing as many times as possible. Of course, Sakura, Chiharu and I had a special mind link and were therefore able to work as a splendid team.

Well, no, maybe not exactly a mind link. More like we screamed at each other.

The boy guarding me was no longer smirking and looked a little dumbfounded. Yeah, I would be too if I were him. My necklace, bless it, stayed under my shirt and gave me luck...at least, I like to think it did.

Finally, the buzzer rang and the game was over...with my team as winners! Yes! I grinned happily despite my panting and high-fived the other two in our power of three. With a triumphant pose, I waved crazily over at my loyal group of geeks in the lower stands. They jumped up and down and cheered. How...pathetic.

I didn't even have to look to know that a certain pair of eyes was staring at me very intensely. Eriol Hiiragizawa.

I think he was trying to cut holes through my head. It's a very eerie habit of his that he's been doing lately...me as the target. I wonder what he thinks about me. I immediately rolled my eyes and shook my head, as if to clear it. Who _cares _what he thinks about me? _I_ certainly did not. Yup.

Now that he knew what my playing style was he mentally calculated what my strengths and weaknesses were. Or maybe he was creating a strategy. And if he wasn't, well, his friends were. Syaoran and Yamazaki were furiously drawing on a piece of paper, arguing and staring over at us. Haha, Hiiragizawa's friends were stooping so low as to try and make a plan, eh? Well, look at _my_ friends...

Sakura and Chiharu were hastily drawing a rough sketch of the court also, discussing how to block Syaoran and Yamazaki.

Eh...oh well.

I fervently wanted this whole basketball thing to be over now so that I could go home and actually have a full night's sleep. Maybe if I win this tournament Hiiragizawa won't be so intent on embarrassing me in front of the whole school. Yes, that was the only way. My eyes narrowed with fiery determination.

"Tomoyo, are you okay? You look kind of feverish...your eyes are all bright and shiny..." I blinked and stared at my green-eyed cousin, who was staring back anxiously. I shrugged and smiled.

"I'm fine...keep drawing your strategy," I started, staring boringly at the clock on the wall. The tournament wouldn't last much longer. Perhaps we will have no more time to continue and would...

These thoughts, all boring and useless, continued and rambled on for twenty short minutes. And believe, me, they were very short minutes.

The last teams to go up were my team and Hiiragizawa's (surprise, surprise) and this was supposed decide the champions for the basketball tournament. As my team went to the court, I giddily saw Sakura and Chiharu giving me thumbs-up signs and taking their places in front of Syaoran and Yamazaki. I wondered where my rival was when I turned casually and nearly glanced by Hiiragizawa's chest.

...whoa. His chest?? My cheeks blazed as I looked up and stared into those dreaded, mysterious blue eyes.

"Um, what's up...?" I said awkwardly. He raised an eyebrow. I could've slapped myself. I backed away quickly and wondered why I was so close to him in the first place. I could practically smell his cologne...which wasn't much, now that I think about it. I only glanced at him and looked pointedly over at Sakura, who was too busy glaring at Syaoran. Everybody else was guarding each other so I was expected to guard HIM...

"Did you know that basketball was invented...ow," Yamazaki was saying as Chiharu smacked his head. Good for her.

"Ready? Go!" The ball was tossed into the air and the game began. My mind was in a whirl because one minute I was guarding Hiiragizawa, another second he was behind me and I was met with thin air. I was practically tripping over my own feet to catch up with him. This was bad.

"...Give up...?" I blinked. Did I just hear him say that? I stared at the smirking Hiiragizawa as looked down at me. "Give up, yet? You'd might as well..." he dodged me and caught the ball, dribbling down to the basket. "...because you're going to lose..." I managed to keep up with him. He got ready to shoot...

...and missed. And _why_ exactly did he miss?

Because of ME!! Yup! I jumped up into the air and grabbed the ball while it was leaving his hands. With a landing fit for Cat Woman, I raced down the court and shot carelessly; yet my aim was flawless, and my team was winning.

I am SO good.

I saw Hiiragizawa give me a cool look. Hah, he was SO jealous! I bet he didn't know I could do that. Well, of course he didn't, seeing as I just scored points.

I am SOOO totally good.

And then, as we raced with the clock and the ball, I realized something very strange. And unnerving. And quite disturbing.

Eriol Hiiragizawa was starting to sweat, as I was, and was looking incredibly sexy. I found it very hard not to blush every time his skin brushed mine. Soon it was distracting me, and his team managed to tie with my team.

But me...I was all puffy and red and my hair was mostly out of its ponytail, so the sweat was starting to make it frizzy. I probably had an afro.

Suddenly, Hiiragizawa's infamous chest loomed in front of me as he caught the ball over my innocent head and started to make the last point. Oh no you don't! I quickly regained my senses and sprinted toward him, feeling the necklace jump out of my shirt and bouncing up and down. Now that it was out in the open, I barely paid attention to it as I neared the blue-haired boy. He bent to shoot and as the ball spun out of his hands...I jumped crazily and caught the ball. Déjà vu. Totally.

And just as I was about to score some more points, the buzzer rang.

Damn.

We were tied. There was no winner for the tournament.

And just as I walked out of the gymnasium, I looked back and saw Eriol Hiiragizawa staring at me with an unreadable expression. Actually, he looked faintly...amused. And, as if I could read lips, he mouthed slowly:

"That was Round one. This isn't over."

What. The. Holy. Moly.

Sakura and I were walking home soon after the tournament.

"Did you see how I tripped Li?? Hah, the look on his face before he smashed it was priceless!" Sakura punched the air and grinned at me. I kept staring at the ground. "Hey, what's up? We didn't lose, right? Why the long face?" I sighed.

"We didn't win. What am I supposed to do now?" I gave her a despairing look. "He never said what was going to happen if we tied!" I was absolutely clueless about what Hiiragizawa was going to do after the tournament. I thought that if I beat him I would fulfill embarrassing him and he would leave me alone...or not be annoyed with me. But obviously, this wasn't over.

Wait, what was I getting so depressed about? It wasn't as if I actually cared that much if something happened...I sighed once more. I am so confused.

"Tomoyo," Sakura said, "it's all right. You didn't lose and he didn't manage to embarrass you. This means you still get a chance to win and teach him a lesson!" She gave me an encouraging smile, the 'Sakura Smile" and immediately began to sing. I couldn't help but smile and feel my spirits rise as I walked on. Sakura was like that. She could make anybody feel lighter and happier.

Of course, she wasn't aware of the gift, but most people weren't aware of themselves. And of course, she wasn't aware that a chocolate-eyed boy always watched her when she smiled. I was totally aware of it...did that mean I was a stalker? I sweat dropped.

At home, I began to worry about what I was going to do the next time I saw Hiiragizawa. Today was Friday, and I didn't have to see him until Monday, a whole weekend away but it made me nervous anyways. If I was betting Hiiragizawa, I was supposed to expect hectic days full of tricks and revenge plots. Well, it already was hectic, but I thought it would be more...random and exciting than this.

Maybe that's why I was so jittery about this whole thing. It _wasn't_ the normal bet other people had. As I went to sleep that night, I stared at the dark ceiling for endless hours, thinking about the blue-haired boy until finally sleeping.

On Saturday morning, I woke up with a determined mind.

I was going to kick Hiiragizawa's ass for giving me so much stress, and then go back to my normal life. THAT'S what I was going to do. No more doubts and worries anymore. I was going to face this bet head-on and show that Tomoyo Daidouji was not a girl to be messed with. I wouldn't let confusing thoughts get in the way.

This time, I would declare the war.

Sitting straight up in my bed, I pumped a fist in the air.

My stomach growled loudly.

That is, after I eat breakfast.

I called Sakura soon afterwards. "Sakura, do you want to come over today?" I felt bored and lonely and I had nothing to do. She eagerly said she would, because she had nothing to do also and apparently the tournament spurred her spirits. She was as restless as a horse, I could tell by her voice, and she was probably giving her brother a headache.

Very soon, as I was in my room, I heard footsteps pounding up the stairs and my door burst open.

Sakura, Chiharu, Rika and Naoko Yanagisawa stood at the door, grinning. Naoko was one of our close friends, and one of the bravest girls around. Her large glasses fit her petite face as she smiled and sat down beside me on my bed. I was bewildered but very pleased.

"Hey girls! I didn't expect you all to be here...but I'm glad anyway." I looked at Sakura's sparkling green eyes and smiled. I knew she would do something like this.

"Yah! I was planning to read and watch TV all day, but coming here is a much better plan," Chiharu said as she plopped down on my beanie seat. Her pigtails bounced merrily as she laid back in comfort. "I'm still reminiscing yesterday's tournament," she said dreamily. "That Yamazaki never knew I could play basketball. He didn't even lie once!" Now that's a surprise.

"I noticed," Rika said, chuckling. She glided gracefully over to the desk and sat on the chair, crossing her skirt-covered legs. "But I still can't believe Terada-san would go and do that..." Almost all of us spoke up.

"Yeah! He is such a traitor!"

"Going against you...I don't know what he was thinking about!"

Naoko said, "I bet it was Eriol-san's idea to have Terada sensei be their coach." Trust Mighty Naoko to think of something like that. The thing is, she was right most of the time. My stomach jumped at the mention of HIS name and I tried to look casual. The look, however, did not go by Sakura, who had crashed with Chiharu on the beanie seat.

"Tomoyo, I think Eriol-kun is crazy to challenge you. I mean, look at his friends!" She paused as the visual of grinning Syaoran and Yamazaki appeared in our minds. "And look at your friends!" We all looked at each other, grinning slightly. Sakura certainly had a point when she said it that way. "Besides, I have an idea—"

And at this providential moment, my cell rang. It was definitely mine, seeing as the Mission Impossible theme started beeping out. Sakura laughed along with Chiharu as they started dancing along with the ring tone. I smiled and shook my head, picking up the phone. I didn't know who the caller was, so I just flipped it and said, "Hello?"

"This is Kei Inasu, Secretary of Eriol Hiiragizawa Corp," began an officious male's voice. I blinked. "Eriol Hiiragizawa offered a challenge for Tomoyo Daidouji, current rival of Eriol Hiiragizawa, and will meet her today at the Tsukimine Shrine, 9 PM sharp. She may bring up to as many as five friends, including herself, and is not allowed to contact Eriol Hiiragizawa until said meeting. Backing out or refusing this challenge will brand the avoiding party as a loser and a coward, thus losing the bet. At the meeting tonight the challenge will be issued, on Eriol Hiiragizawa's terms only. Until then, good bye." The caller hung up and I was left listening to the dial tone, a dumb expression on my face.

What...in heaven's name was _that_??

Eriol Hiiragizawa...guy I have not a clue about except his enormous ego, and I was going to meet him...9 PM...tonight...Eriol Hiiragizawa Corp...

_WHAT???_

This was _not_ how my morning was supposed to have gone.

* * *

A/N: Ooookay...so I finally updated. Sorry for my laziness. Hmm, I wonder if the story's making any sense so far. I try to keep it as humorous as possible. Hmm, tell me how it's progressing and I'll try to see how to write the story. Well, until the next chapter, adios! 


	5. Have you no dignity

A/N: It's me again. Obviously. Well, here's the fifth chapter of my story...most obviously. Yeah, well, enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captors, but I do own Kei! He's a _personal_ favorite of mine. Such a cutie. Yeah, anyways...

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**

**Chapter 5: Have you no dignity...?

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**

I stared at the sleek, silver phone in my hand, the message of the caller repeating randomly over and over in my head.

"Tomoyo?" I blinked and forced myself out of the daze and stared at my friends. Sakura, Chiharu, Rika and Naoko all had curious and worried expressions on their faces. Hmm, they almost looked like poker faces...except they were all showing emotion.

"Hey," Sakura began worriedly, "what's wrong? Who called?" _Ding ding!_ _Kei Inasu...that's who. _Who the heck _was _he?

"Was it...Eriol?" Rika asked delicately. Thank _heavens_ no. I shook my head silently. Naoko shifted on my bed and frowned.

"Was it related to Eriol in any way?" _Oh _yes. I nodded slowly. Her brown eyes looked deep in thought for a minute. Sakura was frowning and appeared frustrated.

"Tomoyo, who was it?" She demanded. I breathed and sighed, looking down at my hand-sown coverlet. It had flowers all over the place, but I (yes, _I_ made it) originally wanted Winnie the Pooh characters. I am a little strange...

"Some person named Kei Inasu," I answered absent-mindedly. Chiharu and Rika perked up considerably. Sakura looked just about as confused as I felt. We were both so alike I wondered why we weren't sisters.

Chiharu looked at me brightly. "Tomoyo, don't tell me you don't know who _Kei Inasu_ is!" Uh, no, I don't know him... She paused briefly to let her eyes shine. "Kei Inasu is the _President_ of the _entire junior class_ AND _head_ of the _school newspaper_!" With all those italics Kei Inasu could be the King of Europe. She switched on her angel-mode, clasping her hands and looking up with a revering expression.

Oh, I see.

"Plus," Rika added dreamily, "he's almost as hot as Eriol and Syaoran." Oh _gag_. Sakura and me both made an outraged face.

"Oh, he's not _that_ good looking," Naoko muttered. She was only loud enough for me to hear, so I was the only one surprised at the hint of scorn in her usually polite voice.

"Rika," Sakura began ominously, "I thought you knew better than to look at a person's physical appearance instead of their personality." I decided to think about Naoko's change of tone later and nodded. My cousin eyed the ceiling gleefully. "If looks were a person's heart, Li would be ugly and gruesome as a...a rhinopotomus!" We all blinked. Naoko cocked her head, her short hair swaying.

"Sakura, isn't it 'rhinoceros'?" Sakura waved it aside sagely.

"Same thing, same thing." She looked at Chiharu, who was still staring out my window with a starry expression. "Some people just can't help it," she said with a sigh. I nodded sadly. Poor Chiharu. She didn't understand that the people we were dealing with had no _dignity_ like we had.

_Dignity...humiliation...bet...Hiiragizawa. Ack_. My current mood went down the drain as worry, anxiety and perplexity took place. What did Kei Inasu have to do with this whole bet? Well, he said he was the secretary of some Hiiragizawa club...so he must be helping Eriol...

…

Oh. My. Holy Moly. Did I just say that...that _jerk's_ name...by itself? I said it _casually..._just like that!

My mind quickly added in different names to the 'E' word so that saying it in my mind wouldn't taint me. Wait, why am I wasting time like this? I frowned again and pushed the current mental fight aside. I took a deep breath.

"That Kei Inasu guy said that I was supposed to meet Hiiragizawa again," I said. Sakura, who had been trying to explain to Rika the importance of not only seeing someone's sexiness, turned to me and widened her emerald eyes.

"What? When! Where! Why? No, cross the why, WHEN!" Talk about getting excited. Naoko looked at me curiously as Rika swiveled the chair around to face me. I swallowed.

"Er, he said I had to meet him at the shrine tonight at nine o clock..."

"That sounds like a date," Chiharu said suddenly, apparently out of her daze. I ignored her dutifully and continued.

"He said I could bring up to four people with me, and that I was supposed to show up no matter what happens..." I frowned. "I wonder why he said I can bring other people...?" Why did he want me to bring people with me? Was he...did he want me to battle him? As in, a real, physical war! Then that meant he would bring his own people! Was _that_ it?

An image of Hiiragizawa and me trying to slap each other made me burst out laughing. Sakura and the others looked at me strangely, not knowing the cause of such amusement. I stopped laughing. Eh... Some people just didn't understand...they should already know that I was crazy by now.

"Tomoyo," my cousin said, punching her palm. She winced and shook her hand, and then continued, "I'll go with you and make sure nobody messes with you! I'll pulverize the person who bothers you in any way!" The glint in her eyes made me believe without a doubt. Chiharu nodded solemnly, her red pigtails bobbing.

"I'll come too since there's nothing else for me to do..." She looked at Sakura's face and hastily added, "Not that I don't want to go! I'm just saying that I'm totally free tonight!" Sakura nodded with satisfaction. I stifled a smile and nodded in thanks to Chiharu.

Naoko, who had been staring up at the ceiling with a thoughtful expression on her face, said, "I wouldn't mind going either. I want to see how this challenge will turn out...and to protect my friend." She looked at me with a smile. I smiled back. Great! Already three people out of four on my side! "Besides, I heard there were strange sightings near the shrine during the night."

Uh oh.

Sakura's green eyes dilated, her honey-colored bangs nearly sticking out. "Wh-what?" She stammered. I glanced at her and back at Naoko, wondering if I should interrupt. Sakura was terrified of superstitious and out-of-this-world things, a phobia she had since she was little. But there was a familiar flash in Naoko's eyes (or was it her glasses?) and I knew she wouldn't stop for anything.

Hmm, this reminded me of that one time back in fourth grade when the class went on a trip to the beach. All us girls were in one room like we were right now, and Naoko had told us the story of when a class went into the caves and disappeared. Although I didn't show it much, I was freaked out. It didn't help that Sakura was terrified and couldn't even sleep. She even slipped outside because she kept tossing and turning. But I never knew what she did outside...

Anyways, Naoko was settling on the mattress comfortably and began telling her story.

"Yes, yes... Only a few days ago some workers near the shrine heard some strange wailing noises and weird lights coming from the new garden. There's a huge maze in the garden and not many people go there, so when rumor went around that there was something strange going on in the garden, people stopped visiting altogether." Naoko's voice faded away as she looked at all of us with intense eyes. Sakura, totally white in the face, could be heard gulping. The rest of us were too shocked to say anything or move.

"...Is it true?" Rika asked in a small voice. Naoko shrugged as she leaned back.

"I heard there were...things left behind. Like, one of the workers saw a shadow near the maze hedge and hurried to investigate it, but when he got there he didn't see anything... except for a tattered piece of rope." Shivers went down my spine as this new image loomed in my mind. Sakura drew in a deep breath and Chiharu let out a nervous laugh. I felt sorry for them. Naoko looked spacey, like she was thinking about the strange happenings at the shrine. She enjoyed mysterious things like that, obviously.

"Um," Rika began timidly, "I-I'll go too..." I turned and gave her a concerned look. She was very valiant to volunteer to go after what our storyteller said. But she sounded really scared...like she'd rather just not go at all. Which would be perfectly sane for her.

"What's the matter? You don't have to go if you don't want," I said amiably. After all, Rika wasn't the kind of girl who met boys at night and battled in a possibly ghost-infested shrine. Come to think of it, I wasn't either, but because of fate I turned into one. How sad.

"Oh, well...no, I _do_ want to go, but..." Rika drifted off with an uncertain tone.

"But what?" I persisted gently.

"Er...I'm on my period," she said embarrassedly. All of us blinked, stared at her bowed head, and then pounced.

"Oh no, don't feel bad, sweetie!"

"We feel for you, don't worry!"

"You don't have to come, okay?"

"Hey, it's all right, we'll take on those monkeys in your place!"

Rika shook her head with a smile, her short curls swinging. "I want to go. I'll be by Tomoyo's side even if the odds are against us." We all cheered at her brave words, key word being 'brave'. Now that my friends were coming with me I felt much more confident and less anxious. But I was still curious about what would happen tonight.

"I wonder why Eriol-kun wants to meet you at the shrine," Chiharu said wonderingly. The rest of us nodded, but I noticed Naoko was still spacing out. Her glasses didn't shield the sparkle in her eyes or the apparent excitement whirling around in her mind.

I am so perspective.

"Hey, you guys, why don't we do something really fun?" I suggested. Thinking about the bet stressed the others and me out, so I wanted us to forget about it momentarily and have fun. Besides, the bet was all my own trouble and I didn't want anybody else to be bothered by it.

"Yeah!" They all agreed cheerfully and thought of things we could do. Finally, after crossing out the ideas of going to the Water Theme Park and the zoo, we decided on going to the amusement park, the mall and then the movies.

I called my mother before we went, wanting to make sure she didn't need me. She granted me permission to use the limo and some money and said she wished she could go but had a conference meeting. I was glad that she at least sincerely wanted to go. She said the meeting would last until late at night, so I could spend the night at someone's house if I wanted to. I, of course, had other plans, but I didn't tell her that. If she knew her only daughter was going to meet some potentially dangerous boys at night she would have a heart attack.

Then, we were off to the park. Sakura and I chatted most of the time in the limo, but my thoughts always returned to the same questions.

Why in the world did Hiiragizawa want me to meet him at a _haunted_ maze? Was there something up his sleeve...?

Whatever was going to happen tonight I was sure it would be out of the ordinary.

* * *

"I'm exhausted," Sakura sighed as we walked out of the movie theatres.

"Yeah, me too," Chiharu admitted.

"Yes! The Queens of Fun and Energy are admitting defeat!" Rika grinned as she skipped out of the theatres and toward the parked limo. "That was fun! Can we go to the amusement park again?" Naoko sighed.

"No, Rika, we're not going back there again. At least, not tonight." At the park Rika had inhaled too many cotton candies and caramel and developed sugar-high. We'd forgotten she was very sensitive to sweets, much like Kero.

"Hey, what time is it?" Sakura yawned as we climbed into the limo. Naoko looked at her watch.

"It's 6:50," she answered tiredly. I nodded as I told the driver to take us to the mansion. As we traveled in silence, my mind wandered back to the meeting at the shrine for the first time since this morning. But now that I was too tired to care, I decided to sleep before going to the shrine. I would be anxious and nervous by then.

"Let's have a pillow fight!" Rika exclaimed as we trooped tiredly into my room upon arriving home. We all groaned and fell on my bed. The sugar-high girl jumped on my mattress, something she would dare not do if she weren't drunk on sugar. My bed was mega-king-sized, so we had no trouble lying down comfortably. But soon Rika started to grow bored and jumped around my room, shouting over little things...like my pillow.

"I'm bored!" she whined. "Let's have a pillow fight!" Her suggestion was met with Chiharu's snores. I sighed and tried to sleep.

Rika took a big pillow and smacked Sakura's head wildly, starting a pillow fight of her own.

It was a one-sided battle, for once Sakura was challenged she never backed down.

"Now go to sleep," my grumpy cousin commanded, forcing the defeated Rika to lie down. The latter pouted for a while, but then fell asleep before all of us, excluding Chiharu, who could knock out like a log in five seconds flat. Very soon, everyone fell asleep. I made sure to set the alarm at 8:30 before drifting into a dreamless sleep...

_**BRRIIIIIIINNG! **_

What? Was it time already? I bolted up from the bed and stared dumbly at the clock.

8:30.

No way. It felt like I just fell asleep! Hmm...oh well. I guess there's no help for it. I sighed and stretched, looking around. Sakura was curled into a cute ball, holding a pillow as a teddy bear. Chiharu was lying flat on her back, her snores still audible but quiet. Naoko was on her side, her glasses in her fingers, and Rika was calm, quiet and sleeping very peacefully near the end. I smiled at them; glad to see they were at peace and rest.

Hey...how come they didn't hear the alarm! We had to get to the shrine by nine and it took nearly twenty minutes to walk there!

I grimaced with reluctance but leaned forward and belted out with all my might, "WAAAAAAAAAAKE UUUUUUUUUUP!" All four sleeping beauties were up in a snap.

"Whaaa?" Sakura looked around dazedly, still half-asleep. "Aw, five more minutes Dad!" Chiharu laughed and poked her head.

"Sakura, we're at Tomoyo's house," Naoko said with a sleepy smile. "And we have to go to the shrine very soon." At this Sakura woke up completely and hopped out of bed.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" The cherry-blossom girl ran out of my room and tripped. "OW! Stupid carpet...Tomoyo, do you have spare pants I can borrow?" Sakura eyed her loose skirt in disgust. I smiled brightly at the thought of giving her clothes and nodded.

"I have just the thing, Sakura!" Then, a great idea hit me. "Hey, why don't we all dress up? That way we can be presentable and impressive!" I looked at the rest of the girls and they all nodded slowly, not knowing what I meant.

Rika blinked and tilted her head. "Tomoyo, do you mean we should play dress up? Like, wear pretty dresses and stuff?" I could tell the sugar hadn't completely left her system, but her words got my blood pumping. The thrill of designing and making clothes was in my blood, and I loved matching designs.

"Okay, wait here just a minute," I said eagerly, running toward the closet in my room. It was pretty big, considering it was almost as big as my whole room. Inside there were racks and racks of outfits and separate clothes, all from my own design. I grabbed just the ones I needed and hurried back out.

"Tomoyo," Sakura said with misgiving in her voice. "Don't tell me you're going to do it." She didn't elaborate, but I knew what she meant. I used to make outfits for her all the time when she caught the Clow cards. She was never very fond of dressing up, even if she looked so cute. I still remembered asking Syaoran how he thought Sakura looked in one mega-cute outfit, and I never forgot how he stared at her with those red cheeks. It was just...too cute.

Anyways, back to the present. We didn't have much time to waste (though I don't call dressing up a waste of time) so I hastily gave each girl her own outfit. And, being the clothes-lover I am, I will take the precious time to describe my friends' outfits.

Rika got a white dress with long, flowing sleeves (I made those sleeves painstakingly perfect) and a low neckline. The hem drifted around her knees and showed off her lovely legs. White tennis shoes and white jacket finished the look.

Naoko wore a light blue tennis outfit with a dark blue jacket. Deep navy stockings went up to her knees and cute white sneakers fitted her feet. I gave her a blue headband for her hair and decided not to give her the belt. Very nice.

Chiharu donned a black turtleneck sweater with black shorts. Black boots that went up to her ankles graced her feet and gloves covered her hands. Her reddish hair contrasted from the black attire wonderfully. I like it a lot.

And last but not least, Sakura. She wore khaki Capri pants and a green tank top. The light gray jacket had an adorable hoodie that fit her outfit along with (tada!) combat boots. I sigh with admiration at my own skills. I was just so good that I didn't know what to do. Eh heh, trust me, I'm not usually like this, physically and mentally.

They all looked so beautiful and perfect. Just as long as it didn't get too cold tonight they would be fine. We were ready to face Eriol Hiiragizawa. Well, most of us...

_I_ wore a plain skirt and a knitted sweater.

I could tell the girls were not pleased with this.

"Tomoyo, you made us wear pretty clothes so now you have to dress up." Oh, I'm so flattered, really. But that's the sacrifice a designer makes...

"Tomoyo," Sakura said firmly, "you're going to wear something flashy today, just this once! Here! I picked it out for you!" She shoved some cloth into my hands. "Hurry! We have only a minute before we gotta go!" I gave her one last look of despair. She didn't relent, nor the rest of the girls. They were so cruel.

Well, I got to admit; Sakura had some pretty good taste. I looked down at myself and smiled reluctantly, remembering the hours I spent making it. I wore a reddish-violet dress with intricate gold designs that streamed around mid-calf and a tight bodice with shoulder sleeves. A sash went around the middle and flowed down my back...er, bottom. At my neck was a little collar and violet scarf. I had a pale lilac-colored jacket that warmed me up considerably.

Sakura...made me proud. She learned the arts of designing...ah, it brought a tear to my eye! But I wasn't very happy wearing it myself. Yet I knew this would be presentable enough to show Hiiragizawa that we had dignity. Oh yes. "Prepare yourself, Hiiragizawa! I will show you what true dignity is!" Oh. Did I say that out loud? The girls all stared at me with weird expressions. I smiled nervously. "Er, let's go, shall we? Hehe." I hurried out before they could stare at me any longer.

With that, and a little trouble sneaking around the maids and the butler, we were hurrying down the streets toward the shrine.

The sky was dark and only the half moon was out. I shivered, not from the cold but because I suddenly remembered Naoko's story about the strange happenings at the shrine garden. I glanced around, looking for any suspicious shadows or sounds. Beside me, Sakura was looking around nervously also.

"...You can't get to me...oh no you can't...I will never let you defeat me...I will be strong and brave...there's nothing to be scared about...nothing scares me..." Sakura's chants reached my ear even though she was barely whispering. I took her hand and squeezed it, hoping it would comfort her. She squeezed back and smiled at me, if a little nervously. I didn't blame her. I was shaking out of my wits.

Naoko was leading the way confidently, her back straight. Obviously there was no fear of ghosts and strange noises for her. Chiharu and Rika were walking behind Sakura and me, whispering quietly. I kept peering ahead, alert for any noise. Sakura was straining to keep calm.

…

...This was ridiculous. I am a _practical_ person. I do not believe in ghosts or whatnot... just because of some rumor. I am Daidouji Tomoyo, owner of the Daidouji charm. This was going too far. We were ladies of _dignity_-Not fear!

Suddenly, a strange twinge tweaked in my chest and a warm feeling swarmed my senses. I had a sudden urge to do something...

"_I will never let fear conquer..." _I sang out quietly. Sakura looked at me, surprised. I was surprised as well... but I squeezed her hand and kept singing. _"...it is not what I need..." _I had a feeling this was what I had to do.

Yeah, it may sound like some girl-power inspiration, but I seriously felt a strong need to do what I loved best: singing.

Chiharu and Rika stopped talking behind us. I could see Sakura smiling as I sang more loudly. _"Let the light come through..." _Naoko sighed softly ahead of us. Yes! It was working. Hopefully singing would clear our consciences and be more confident.

"_Every day it comes to my heart...the true strength to overcome..." _I smiled slightly. _"To overcome the fear...and find peace."_ We all looked at each other, smiling.

We were relaxed. Success!

_SNAP!_

Suddenly, the snapping of a twig made us jump and alerted us. Again the feeling of awkward silence and cold foreboding filled the atmosphere. Damn that stupid piece of wood! JUST when I was getting things under control.

Nobody said anything, the snapping twig on everybody's mind.

_GHOST! LATE-NIGHT MURDERER! AAAHHH! _

Yup.

We were nearing the shrine. Sakura was now clasping her hands together in an effort to control her mind-wandering phobic fears. I kept my eyes straight ahead and tried to seek out any hidden objects or beings in the dark gardens to the front. Naoko silently lead us to the shrine where the moonlight gleamed on its roof.

There was nobody there.

This was stupid. It was nine o clock and we were at the shrine like we were supposed to...why wasn't Hiiragizawa here? I know...he ditched!

"AAHH!" We all whipped our heads to face Naoko, who had just let out the scream.

"AHHH!" Sakura screamed. I stared at her in confusion. Why was everybody screaming? Something was not right here. Obviously, I thought grimly, somebody was pulling a prank.

Well, I wouldn't fall for it.

I saw Naoko using her jacket to smack whatever had surprised her, smiling with satisfaction as a masculine voice yelped. Chiharu and Rika, who were standing behind me, ran forward to tackle a shadow that moved near the shrine. Sakura had recovered and was fighting her offender—literally. I sweat dropped as she punched furiously and did a splendid roundhouse kick. A muttered curse could be heard throughout all this chaos.

I realized there were about three new people—most likely guys. Naoko was still whapping her person with the handy jacket, and Rika was helping her, spurred by sugar. Sakura and Chiharu were still taking care of their own guys. Hah, by the dim looks of it, my girls were winning. Yeah!

But there was something strange...something not quite right.

I was the only one not doing anything. Wasn't I supposed to be the main person here? I was the one in the bet.

So why was I standing beside the shrine all dumb and non-active? I wanted to fight too! Or, well, not exactly fight...but I wanted to do _something_!

...I shouldn't want that...I shouldn't bewanting that at all.

"So you did bring your friends," a deep, familiar voice said from my right. I turned quickly and spotted a lounging shadow near the edge of the shrine. I frowned at his words, trying to understand what he meant, as well as wary of what he was going to do. Time to click on my sharp intuition! _Click._

"Yes...I did," I answered shortly. I grew more cautious as the shadow moved and the blue-eyed boy stepped into the moonlight. He stopped just five feet away from where I was standing. Oh-ho-ho...now I've got mental measuring skills..."Excuse me, why are there people trying to attack my friends? Would they happen to be _your_ friends?" I eyed him carefully, ready for any sudden attack.

"Hey, Syaoran," Hiiragizawa said, not taking his eyes off mine (I stared determinedly back as if it were a staring contest), "hurry up." And just like that, as if he were Commander, the sounds of fighting stopped and Syaoran walked past me to stand by my enemy. Not long after, Yamazaki walked by, followed by a tall boy I didn't recognize. The four boys lined up and took their poses under the shadow of the moonlight.

I took the chance to study the new boy. He was as tall as Syaoran and had a tough build. His face was handsome featuring brown eyes and reddish brown hair, with a glinting earring on one ear. He looked familiar...my mind clicked. He was one of the four boys with Hiiragizawa on that day I dropped my ice cream at the café. Yes...but who was he? The four guys were undeniably good looking, and I couldn't help but realize they were the epitomes of perfect male.

The cloud uncovered the moon and the light became brighter.

I blinked. Why did all of them look so handsome all of the sudden?

Was it the effect of the moon? Yamazaki caught my eye and winked, flipping his short, black hair. Syaoran-kun and Inasu studied their nails as Hiiragizawa continued to stand beautifully under the ray of light.

What was this, Sailor Moon?

I realized Sakura and the rest of my powerful group of friends were lined up beside me, similar to the males. For a while, we just stood there, staring at each other. Well, Sakura and Syaoran were glaring at each other.

"...Well," I finally said, deciding this was getting us nowhere.

"Yes," My Enemy agreed.

"Hmm..." I sighed.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Uhh," I said, raising an eyebrow.

"Sure," he said amiably.

Tension abounds.

As I've said before...this was getting us nowhere. I cleared my throat and stood straighter. "I received a call today from a guy named Kei Inasu—"

The new boy waved a hand lazily, "That's me." Ah. I barely fluttered an eyelash and continued, pretending not to find this news surprising.

"I was informed that there was to be a...meeting tonight?" I looked carefully at my Enemy. He looked back at me with an unreadable expression. Stupid unreadable face. Stupid unreadable, handsome face. Gah.

"You were informed correct," he said with an amused tone. I frowned, not liking his humor. This was to be about serious matters, most likely, and he found it humorous? No dignity, I tell you. His glasses glinted off the faint light and he offered me a smirk. "We'll start Round Two of this bet...shall we?"

I blinked. Sakura made a slight surprised noise. Great. Now all of my friends were to be included in _my_ bet.

"Let's see..." The blue-haired lad had a thoughtful expression on his face as he continued to gaze at me. It was a little unnerving that he never looked away from my face for even a second, but I didn't let my discomfort show. "I suggest that we have a little...game." I raised an eyebrow. "Hmm...see that maze over there?" I nodded slowly. Who wouldn't see the ten-feet high hedge walls? "We'll play a game of hide-and-seek...or more appropriately, cat-and-mouse..." I found myself immediately distrusting of this plan. "You and your friends go into the maze and find the exit...got it?"

I nodded again, frowning slightly. We were going to enter the haunted maze running from four guys in the _dark... _lovely. Beside me, Sakura swallowed and quickly huffed impatiently, "Oy, hurry up and tell us the catch!" I blinked. So that's what was missing. Hiiragizawa smiled and nodded.

"Of course. You ladies get to go into the maze first and we boys will follow soon after. We will try and stop you ladies...gently. And if we catch you before any of you finds the exit, we'll, oh, let's see..." He paused and looked at his friends. "What should we do?" The guys immediately started calling out ideas.

"Let's dump them in the lake!" At this suggestion, Sakura hissed ferociously at Syaoran, who looked slightly daunted by my cousin's feline behavior.

"I know, we can make them our slaves for the entire week!" Both Sakura and Naoko hissed at this idea, looking at Inasu dangerously. I blinked.

"How about we do fun dares each?" This came from Yamazaki and seemed the most reasonable idea so far, however Chiharu threw a heavy rock at his head. He barely dodged in time.

I glanced at the quietest girl, Rika, and looked at the boys, who were grinning quite sadistically. She seemed a little pale. I gazed at her worriedly.

"Rika," I whispered lowly. She turned to look at me nervously, her brown eyes wide. "Are you okay?" She nodded vigorously, the wide, anxious look still on her face.

From the corner of my eye I saw Hiiragizawa move forward. I turned abruptly and watched him cagily. Who knows what he might do.

He merely stopped in front of me and held out a hand. I frowned and looked at the outstretched hand, and then his face, which was devoid of any emotion. "We'll seal the second part of the bet..." he informed me. I blinked, hesitating. He raised an eyebrow and continued, "Unless you're reluctant. I can always win the bet automatically...I wouldn't mind."

At this, a surge of adrenaline fired my spirit, as well as my heart, and, forgetting about Rika's fear, I took his hand boldly. It felt quite warm and strong... I could almost imagine what it felt like to be held... AGH! I quickly let go before any further emotions could enter my head. Looking up at him I smiled slightly, void of any previous emotion.

He gave me his trademark amused smirk/constipated smile (_I_ think) ...and patted my cheek before turning away towards the dark maze entrance.

I immediately got over the surprise of this _unwanted_ action and glared at his back. I was determined not to let him get the best of me. And then, I turned to look at my friends, all of them glaring at the boys who were following Hiiragizawa. Except one.

Rika was looking pale, as if she was going to faint. I realized she hadn't really talked much after arriving here. Well, I couldn't blame her anxiety...we were about to enter a dark maze during the night...with the possibility of getting lost and never coming back out again.

_Great._

Round Two was on.

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**A/N: My fifth chapter! Wow, I'm really excited. I hope there's an understandable plot here...I'm as determined as Tomoyo to make this story clear as possible. Well, please review and give me your thoughts! Thank you! **


	6. So that's what it was

**A/N: Right, so here's the sixth chapter! I'm going to get some more action here...You can give some advice if you wish. XD Thank you all for reading and reviewing!**

**And now, I'm going to announce that there will be a change of point of views from now on...This will have our main-character man, Eriol Hiiragizawa, sharing some of his lovely POV's...Hehe. Also, I stopped using the Japanese honorific names like 'kun' and 'chan'. Hope it doesn't bother anybody too much. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Card Captors... I'm just a hopeless fan writing stories about my favorite couples. **

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**Chapter Six: So that's what it was...

* * *

**

**Eriol's POV**

..._I thought I was in love. _

_When Mizuki Kaho entered my life...I thought that...it was **truly** love. _

_Her beauty...her smile...her entire self was so endearing to me..._

_Especially...her _**love**_ for me. _

_When she said she loved me, I was ecstatic, elated, joyful...I thought I had finally found my **true** love. _

_And now, looking back...remembering the times we spent together...I realize..._

_Her love for me was not what I felt for her. _

"_Eriol-kun, when I look at you, I feel love...motherly love..."_

"_You're like a **son** to me, Eriol..." _

"..._I wish my future son was as **mature** as you..." _

"_Sometimes, when I see you looking at me...I feel as if you're saying something else..."_

"_Behind that smile...hidden in your eyes...I see another feeling that I cannot return." _

"..._Eriol, I do not love you in that way... no, I love you in an entirely different way, so..." _

"_Please don't love me like that." _

_I thought that I, being the reincarnation of the famous Clow Reed, would always be right...never make mistakes...never mistaken love. _

_I was wrong. _

_There was never any love for me in the first place. At least...not the kind I wanted. _

_My first love...I never knew it would come to this..._

_And I can't put the blame on anybody else...but myself. _

**Tomoyo's POV**

I've been anxious many times before. I can't count how many times I've felt worried and nervous about something. But out of all of them...I think this is one of the worst cases of anxiety I've ever faced.

Or perhaps I ate something weird...? Nah. I'm immune to the influences of the Great Cotton Candy. Sadly, Rika isn't.

First off, I was playing a game of Mouse-and-Cat against four tall, powerful males that have influenced human kind one way or the other.

Secondly, I was putting all my friends in danger, including Rika, who is at her time of the month and looks like she'll either faint or kill someone.

Thirdly, there is no thirdly.

Hiiragizawa's glasses seemed to be the only thing visible in the darkness as my friends and I approached his posse at the entrance of the maze. Looking up at the dark, foliage wall reaching ten feet above my head easily, flashbacks of a similar setting appeared in my mind...

About eight years ago, Sakura and I were visiting the shrine because of some rumor my cousin had heard. A maze appeared out of nowhere, revealing that it was a Clow Card. Syaoran and Meiling had come to try and capture the card...

That time, while we were in the maze, I was scared. I may not have seemed like it, holding up the video camera while calmly recording my friends like I would at a picnic. Heh, back then I was extremely tight and non-emotional. I liked to be conservative and quiet, observing others from a safe distance. It was times like in that maze that I knew fully well I was human. 100 human.

Now, as I stared at the dark entrance of the new-but-not-so-different maze, I firmly set aside my fear and try to be brave for my friends. _Last time_ I had lied to myself. But this time...

This time, I would destroy that fear and do what a real Daidouji would do.

"We're ready," I informed calmly, glancing at the blue-haired guy standing at the hedge's shadow. Behind me, Sakura was taking long breathes, in an effort to calm down and back me up. I felt warm gratitude and admiration for my cousin, knowing it was hard for her to be so non-emotional like this.

Hiiragizawa nodded. Syaoran-kun and the others circled around us girls as we waited for the signal.

"Well, good luck. You'll need it..." Kei Inasu said. An audible thump could be heard. "Ow! You little witch...!" I didn't turn around to see who had caused him pain, focusing only on the entrance. Any moment now...

"Go." Hiiragizawa's deep voice stirred my spirit and with a determined air, I stepped into the maze.

I would prove to them and myself that I can be human. So human that my fear can be destroyed. So human that I can make mistakes...like this whole bet.

Well, anyways...enough of my deep mind chitchats.

I lead the way for a while, adjusting to the dark and overcoming the initial panic. At the first separating of the path, I stopped, turning to look at my friends. Ah, they were all so loyal...such good friends they were. Hey, why are they all staring at me?

"Um..." I said, not knowing what else to say.

"Hey, let's stick together, okay?" Chiharu said quickly. We all glanced at each other. Naoko shook her head slowly.

"If we stay together then it'll be easier for the guys to catch us." Her reason sounded very true, to our reluctance. "I think we should split up," she continued, her glasses flashing. "That way we have a better chance of finding the exit and getting out of here." At this, we brightened and nodded.

"I think Sakura, Rika and Chiharu should be together, since Rika's not feeling at her best and Sakura and Chiharu can protect her," I suggested. I really wanted Sakura and Rika to be with me, but I wasn't much of a fighter. Naoko on the other hand...

"And Tomoyo can be protected by Naoko the Black Belt Master! Or, er, Mistress!" Sakura exclaimed happily. Yes. Indeed, Naoko was a black belt and her defensive skills were _pretty_ impressive. The rest of didn't know she even took Tae-kwon-do until she told us she was going to the championship matches last year. We all went to it, and were impressed at her skills.

And now, those same skills will protect me! I was saved!

"Okay, I think it will work," Naoko agreed. She put a finger on her chin and had a thoughtful expression. "Hmm, I wonder how we can get out of here..." Suddenly, inspiration hit me like a truckload of banana. Oh. Eurgh. Mental image not good.

"I've got it!" I exclaimed. "We can find the exit by placing one hand on the wall and then call each other if we made it!" I grinned happily at the girls' smiling faces. I was a genius! Well, I'd already thought of that idea when I was younger.

Chiharu's face fell. "Yeah, but how do we call each other? We don't have our phones." Our spirits fell once more. She was right. We didn't have any phones, or walkie-talkies. I bit my lip and looked up at the dark sky. Time was running out. Soon the guys would be entering the maze...if they were following their rules at all.

"I know!" Sakura said, snapping her fingers. "We can make a special sound! One that none of the boys will guess..." This idea brought up our hopes again as we bran stormed for a good signal.

"What about we make cat noises?" Naoko suggested. I raised an eyebrow. Cat noises? As in... "Like, meow." Ahh.

We'll be like cat-girls. _Meooow_.

I forced a light smile and looked each of my dear friends in the eye. "Well..." I said slowly, "...Let's do this."

"Ten minutes is up!" A shout came distantly. All of us widened our eyes at each other. It was time. "We're coming in!" I think Syaoran shouted that.

Simultaneously we all split up into our respective groups. Naoko and I took the left while Sakura, Rika and Chiharu took the right. Soon, all I could hear was Naoko's and my steps.

It was so silent and dark that the air around me felt heavy. As I followed Naoko through the twisty passages, I thought about what to do once I got home. Or, rather, IF ever I got home. Hoping that I did, I prayed that my mother did not find out about my late-night activities.

Again, I suddenly wondered why I was doing this. Why did I keep challenging Hiiragizawa? Was the reason so obvious to me that I didn't even stop to think about it? Wait...I DID think about it. But still, it didn't make much sense. After all, I could have given up a long time ago instead of putting up with this...useless feud. I could have turned back from this bet and go back to my normal life. Instead of wandering in a haunted maze at night, I could be staying at home watching late night movies. Or at least eat some ice cream and gain weight.

What was it that made me stay like this? What made me want to continue the bet like it made _sense..._? Like it was necessary. Was it Hiiragizawa? Was it really he? Had I fallen victim to his handsome looks without knowing it? What was it...?

"What was that?" Naoko's sudden voice brought me out of my thoughts. I noted the slight urgency in her tone and looked around me carefully. She had stopped walking, her head craning to hear a noise I didn't catch. I was about to ask her what it was when suddenly I heard the noise too.

It sounded like footsteps.

_Rustle, rustle._

When you hear rustling like _that_ you know it can't be good.

Naoko grabbed my arm as we stared toward the direction of the noise, fear clutching our hearts as images of a haunted ghost flashed in our minds. It could have just been one of the guys sneaking up on us, which we would have thought of if we were thinking rationally. But, we weren't thinking rationally.

_Rustle, rustle._

Now images of a bloody, pale corpse dragging broken chains pounded in my head. From the grip Naoko had on my arm, her thoughts weren't entirely different from mine. I don't know why we weren't moving, but then we were too terrified to do anything. The rustling sounds became louder.

And it remained that way for at least five minutes. Since nothing was jumping out at us, we began to relax, beginning to think it was a false alarm. A big gust of wind hit us, rustling the leaves on the hedges and gently brushing my skirt. I breathed a sigh of relief. So the rustling was just the wind...

Naoko gave a shaky laugh and let go of my arm, leading the way down the path again. I followed, smiling.

We had not gone five steps when a loud crashing noise came out of absolutely nowhere. It sounded like Armageddon or something equally as terrifying. Both Naoko and I screamed. Then, after a startled moment passed, we released our breaths and laughed. It was just the wind again. "It's pretty windy tonight, eh?" the brunette commented light-heartedly. I smiled.

"Yeah, it sure is," I answered; looking behind my shoulder to see what possible trail the wind might have left behind. Hmm, just some branches and a pair of glowing eyes that was directly next to my face.

...Eyes...EYES...Oh—

I let out a nice, long scream. Hmm, my scream was high-pitched like those valley girls in scary movies. Really, I should try out for horror movies... Naoko, Black Belt Mistress, flew to my side as soon as I finished screaming. Once she spotted the pair of eyes I quickly stepped aside, allowing her to start beating up whatever the thing was.

"Ow! OW, you little wench! Stop—STOP DAMN IT!" The voice was familiar, and I realized it was Syaoran. Well, well, well, so it was Hiiragizawa's _best_ _friend_. And Sakura's _best enemy_. Hmm, interesting...especially now that he, the bundle of high and intimate importance, was at the mercy of Naoko (and me! Even though he scared the crap out of me). The brunette pinned him down easily, a triumphant look on her face.

"What should we do with him, Tomoyo?" Naoko asked, her glasses flashing. From where I was standing, Syaoran seemed angry, shocked, and a little put out. I guess he thought his targets would be a little gentler...but then, Sakura's not exactly gentle... Ohh, I'm onto his little plan. He's such a sneaky person.

I smiled and pondered, "Hmm, I'm not sure, Naoko. Since he _was_ about to capture us..."

The amber-eyed boy glared up at me from the ground. "It's called 'hunting' Daidouji. It's the main point of the freaking bet!" He struggled heroically for a bit, but Naoko held him down firmly. "Anyways," he growled, "you can't just keep me like this forever." For a moment his face cleared, and he smirked. "There are others 'hunting' for you too."

At this, I felt unsettled. Maybe it was because the word 'hunting' seemed much more terrifying than 'capturing'. But, the prospect of three other guys 'hunting' us down in the darkness flipped my stomach.

Naoko furrowed her eyebrows, the familiar deep-thinking expression on her face. "Well, he's got a point." My face fell. I knew what she was going to say. "Sorry Tomoyo, I'm afraid you're on your own now. Don't worry, I'll take care of him," she patted the scowling guy's head, "and any other _sissies_ who come in my way." She gave me a confident smile. Syaoran scowled harder.

"Really now? And I wonder how you'll attempt to manage that." A new voice joined our nighttime conversation. I spun around and saw the tall figure of Kei Inasu standing imposingly in the middle of the path. The moonlight illuminated his handsome face and the auburn-brown strands in his eyes. I admired how good-looking he was...before remembering the possibilities of his presence.

"Tomoyo. Go." I turned back to Naoko, who was glaring at Kei with very intense eyes. She didn't look at me as she ordered, "Run like hell right now."

Either it was because of the deadly look on her face or the fact that she said 'hell' for the first time ever that I indeed ran like hell.

As I once again ran down the maze path, turning blindly on corners, I kept thinking, _Naoko saved me. She sacrificed herself for my escape. She saved me. She saved me. She saved me..._ So NOW what was I supposed to do?

_Well duh, you win this bet! Find your way out of here!_

Oh no. Please don't tell me that was...my conscience.

..._It wasn't your conscience. _

...Dang it. This is absolutely fantastic. My _conscience_ is choosing this moment to rear its ugly head and tell me what to do (AKA "advise"). Aren't consciences a bit overrated and cliché?

_I am not overrated, cliché, or ugly. I am what came with your brain. Along with your heart, lungs, body, voice and all that humanly stuff. Now listen to me and don't stop running. _

Jeez, now my conscience is going to spew off some random advice. And it's bossy as heck. I pouted. But I kept running and listened to it anyways.

..._Don't stop acting simple. Life isn't all that complicated. It's only complicated when you make it complicated. Tomoyo, you're...I'm...we're only human. So when a problem arises in your life, deal with it the way a human will. The only way you can. _

If I didn't have any clue what my conscience was telling me, I would have been like 'WAAH?' And anyone who's listening on this conversation is probably thinking exactly that.

_Keep running._

I made a face, realizing I had indeed stopped running, but did as my conscience said. Was there anything else it was going to tell me...?

_Yes. There's a shadowy figure standing in the middle of the path before you. _

How fascinating. I looked ahead and—gasp—saw a shadowy figure. Surprise, surprise.

_You can stop running now._

Right. Got it. Excellent idea. Superb. Right away. Don't want to be running into Hiiragizawa now, do I?

…

**Eriol's POV**

_If only I could prove that I'm only human. Isn't it just that? I'm only the reincarnation of that magician. Why is it that everyone think I'm so wise? So talented? So gifted? So lucky? So...above human? _

_I'm only human. There's no way I can't be. So how can I prove that even I make mistakes? Why is it that everyone expects so much from me? Even her...Kaho..._

_Even **she** had expectations. _

_How can I get everybody to listen...to understand that I am not Clow Reed? What is so magnificent about me? There's nothing spectacular in me that surpasses a human...especially..._

_When I make mistakes about love. Love. What is love? Isn't that one of human's greatest mystery? Isn't that one of human's greatest flaws? A flaw that **I **made? So doesn't that make me human enough? _

_I'm not great...yet to other people I stand as some kind of deity...a mythical god... someone whose knowledge and wisdom shines so brightly. Is there anyone who knows that I'm human? Somebody who realizes that I have flaws...and won't be disappointed in me. _

_People respect and admire me to the point that they truly think I am a superior. Even to the point that..._

_To the point that even I believe it. Even I set up expectations for myself..._

_And if even I can't understand that I am only human..._

_Then who can?_

**Tomoyo's POV**

Once upon a time, I used to have a slight crush on Eriol Hiiragizawa. I admired the way he handled situations so calmly and smoothly, and even respected his knowledge and wisdom that surpassed an eleven-year old. But of course, back then I knew he was only the reincarnation of Clow Reed. I wasn't naïve and daft like some people.

The fairy-tale ends with me not having a crush on him anymore (mark, the period he and Syaoran became popular and the whole high school deal). I basically end up hating him. Not really. But something along those lines.

All this went through my mind as I stared at the dark-haired boy (no, _young man_) ahead of me in a matter of 3.5648 seconds. I would continue to gloat about my superior skills in thinking, but the current issue at hand is more important.

I swallowed silently and gazed determinedly at him, showing no weakness whatsoever. He reminded me of those _Discovery Channel_ animals, where they pounced upon the first sign of weakness in their prey.

If I showed one little slip Hiiragizawa will pounce. Not physically of course...I hope.

"Your friends are all down," he said quietly. His eyes didn't express any emotion behind those glasses and I bit down a frustrating growl. My friends couldn't have lost. He was just bluffing. If they were captured then that would mean... "You're alone now... Daidouji."

Somehow, coming from Hiiragizawa, the words sounded intimidating. Maybe it was the way his low voice carried no emotion...expect maybe amusement. If it is I'll kill him. Hmm, rather violent there, Tomoyo... Or the way his eyes flashed behind those wire-rimmed glasses. Or maybe it was the way the clouds chose the moment to quickly cover up the moon, effectively throwing the already dark maze into shadows.

Or maybe it was the way he was slowly and deliberately stepping toward me.

Oooh got it right! _Not_ that it's a good thing.

With each step he took brought him closer to me, and my eyes widened. I was frightened. If he caught me, I would lose, and if I lost, that would mean succumbing to his will and that would mean letting my friends down and THAT would mean... no good. No good at all whatsoever.

Before the menacing Clow-reincarnation got within two feet of me, my whirling mind finally focused and a brilliant idea flashed in my head. With an odd squawk that caught in my throat, I pointed over Hiiragizawa's shoulder and gasped loudly.

"Look! Look over there! Look! Look at that! **Look** at it! **Look! Look! LOOK**!"

Oh, _brilliant_ idea, Tomoyo. Really, you're one sharp mind, aren't ya?

And, the worst part... Hiiragizawa was just staring at me with those expressionless eyes, probably wondering if I'd gone insane. Well, he's a little late in that department.

My finger happened to be pointing at his forehead due to the movement my other arm had caused as I flapped it like a headless chicken. Again, a flash of inspiration _flashed_ in my mind and without hesitation, I poked his forehead...hard.

I must have either miscalculated my poke or Hiiragizawa had his guard all the way down, because he stumbled back a couple of steps. He blinked and stared at me incredulously, probably now confirming that I was completely insane.

I bit my lipbriefly and flashed the shocked male a sweet, honey-golden smile.

And sprinted down the path at full speed, knocking the taller guy down on the way.

Hmmm. I must not know my own strength. Nor the value of my life.

**Normal POV**

Sakura, Chiharu and Rika were scared witless. Twice they heard screams, most likely coming from Naoko and Tomoyo. Not only that, but they passed by a hedge wall carved out to look like a smiley face a total of five times.

...Make that six times.

The emerald-eyed girl sighed in defeat and slumped onto the grass, barely noticing the dampness. "You guys, I don't think this is working."

Chiharu sighed also and leaned against the smiley-hedge wall, closing her eyes. "Yeah, you're right." She opened an eye and glanced Rika, who was leaning against the hedge also. "You okay Rika?"

The pale girl in question nodded, smiling wearily. Sakura groaned and buried her head in her hands. "Maybe we should split up. That way we can find the exit faster." The brunette lifted her head to look at her friends. "Who knows? Maybe Naoko and Tomoyo found a way out."

Rika closed her eyes and sighed quietly. "That's...a good idea Sakura." The emerald-eyed girl glanced at her sharply but didn't say anything.

Chiharu was about to launch into a lengthy commentary that included insulting some certain males, when she heard something odd. Her brow furrowed. "Hey," she whispered, "you guys!"

Both girls turned to look at her. She was craning her neck to hear something. "Do you hear that?" The red-haired girl glanced at them. "I think...I think someone's coming!" At that, all three girls galvanized into action and stood to the shadows together.

_Thump. Thump. Rustle. THUMP. _

They all held their breaths. The sounds became louder.

_THUMP. THUMP. RUSTLE. CRASH. _"What the--?" A familiar male voice said. As soon as a figure came stumbling into view on the path, Sakura stuck her foot out, successfully tripping the person. The person fell. A muttered "OW" could be heard.

Sakura wasn't a Card Captor for nothing. As soon as the figure tried getting up, she body slammed on top of it.

"Hey! What the heck? Get off me! Who are you! Don't kill me!" Chiharu and Rika warily stepped out of the shadows, watching Sakura pin down the figure. "Mercy! Spare me! I swear I'm not the one you're looking for! I beg for mercy!"

The clouds moved away from the moon, lighting up the maze path once more. All three girls blinked upon seeing who the figure was.

Chiharu raised an eyebrow. "Yamazaki?"

Indeed, it was Yamazaki. Though it was hard to tell because of his dirt-covered body and the leaves and branches sticking to his clothes. He spit out a leaf and gazed up at Chiharu and Rika. With a characteristic grin, he spoke cheerfully, "Well, how are you lovely ladies on this fine evening?"

Both Sakura and Chiharu were taken aback by this unexpected greeting, but Rika wasn't. In fact, she _snapped_.

"You dare ask how we are?" Rika spoke softly, stepping forward. Now everyone turned to stare at her. She glared quite dangerously at the male. "After all this torture, all this useless activity, all this pain and suffering, all these stupid tricks, all this...this..." she puffed her cheeks like a blowfish, trying to get the word out.

"Hell?" Yamazaki offered.

That was all Rika needed.

**Eriol's POV**

_I've found that person. The one that understands who I really am._

_Since when have I ever felt that my life was normal? Possibly not before I met Sakura Kinomoto. Even before then I was so serious, so intent on studying magic, so..._

_So high of expectations...for myself, of course. _

_Expect for a few friends, I've never met anybody that didn't have some kind of idea of me. Some vague opinion that I was a superhero of some sort. I have never met a single person...at least not that I know of..._

_Until now. _

_The way that person acts is peculiar, even to the point of questioning their sanity. But their intentions behind their actions tell otherwise. This person that barely knows me...yet understands me perfectly...they realize that I am human. They show their knowledge of this so clearly that it is amusing...and ironic. _

_I know this person's view of me. I know enough that they know I am a human being. And that they hate me only because I am too human. _

_Tomoyo Daidouji. _

_It's only too bad she tried (and succeeded) in bodily harming me, because otherwise, we'd be best friends. I would have made sure of that. She's the first person I've come across that actually accepted, and thought for granted, that I was, and am, HUMAN. _

_I'd be damned if I let her go so quickly. _

_

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_

**A/N: Uh, I'm sorry for not really updating a little earlier. I've been kind of procrastinating. That is not a good habit for any author to have. Well, I'll try and update some more...if the story's coming along okay. Thank you much!**


	7. New ways to think smArt

**A/N: I guess I feel GUILTY right now because I didn't update quickly.**

**Disclaimer: Do you honestly think I _own_ Card Captors? Hah! Please.

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**Chapter 7: New ways to think smArt!

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Don't you _hate_ it when you feel guilty? Especially when your guilt is focused on the one person you hate the most. I suppose the guilt is part of one's punishment for doing something so wrong and evil that made you feel guilty in the first place. I should be humbly and shamefully accepting my guilt and apologize to the person I sinned against. I should be on my knees, begging for that person's forgiveness in hopes that my guilt will somehow ease. I should be crying and sitting in front of the television, watching _A Walk to Remember _for the tenth time, and eating ice cream, depressed because of the guilt eating away my soul.

Or, you know. _Not. _

But this is how I felt as I stood before the exit, which was only ten feet away from me, victory almost in my grasp. Why, oh why, did my REAL conscience decide to kick in now? (Conscience: Hey!) Right when I'm about to win this bet and finally get on with my boring, semi-normal life, I start feeling really sorry and guilty about knocking Eriol Hiiragizawa down! There's someone out there who really doesn't like me.

Them and the whole _world_.

I swallowed my overwhelming guilt and walked towards the exit, trying to bring out the feeling of relief escaping this dark, scary maze. Each step brought in conflicts that confused me even more. Would I be evil for winning this battle—purely because I played dirty with Hiiragizawa? Step. Should I feel guilty for leaving my friends behind, even if we won? Step. I'm going to win! Step. Step. But at what cost...? Tiny step. I didn't even _apologize_ to him. _Back_ step.

I looked at my surroundings. Unsurprisingly, I was still several feet away from the exit. Where was my pride? Where was my sense in winning? What about the sake of my friends? What about my mom? What about my ice cream?

For some reason, my feet wouldn't move. I suppose it was my conscience taking control of my body so that I could free myself of this sudden guilt and let Hiiragizawa win, but I just _couldn't_ _move_. A pang of suspicion aroused my foggy mind. Why was there something fishy about this? About my... abrupt guilt? Why did I suddenly grow doubtful when I was only _ten feet_ away from the freaking exit? Something was undeniably fishy around here... so fishy I could _smell_ it...

Never mind. That was the fish I ate for dinner. But...

There was something moving behind me. By this time, my mind was fully aware of the suspicious fishiness and was trying to move my body so I could turn around, but my body wouldn't listen. Well, my feet wouldn't move. It felt like they were glued to the ground, but that was not the case because my shoes were new and totally free of any glue the last time I checked. Besides, I could just take off my shoes and run barefoot out the exit. But it seemed my entire LEGS were immobile too.

Why does there seem like _m-a-g-i-c_ is behind all of this fishiness? And why do I keep referring to my suspicion as FISH? Not all fish are suspicious... except when they start taking all your baits from the flipping barb-like-hook without getting caught and you go home without a single fish because of it. And hey, it wasn't just me. My baby cousin didn't get a single fish either. But then, he was the only one NOT fishing.

I guess I was too worried and caught up in my ironically guilt-free thoughts that I almost forgot about the movement I heard behind me just a while ago until I heard it again.

_Almost_ forgot... Okay, so I _did_ forget, but it really doesn't matter one bit.

I suddenly gasped when a warm breath hit my ear and a deep, almost-warm voice said, "Well, well, Tomoyo Daidouji. I would've thought you'd already gotten out of here, seeing as your previous feelings about wining this bet was _pretty_ clear. But then," a hand rested lightly on my lower back, "_you_ would experience unpleasant visits from your conscience and begin to feel possibly... **guilty** for tricking poor, little... _me_. Wouldn't you?"

Everything clicked together. Eriol was using MAGIC to make me feel suddenly guilty and then do something to my feet. He was going to win... I was going to lose... _He was cheating._

"You cheater!" I spat out with as much outrage as possible. "You filthy, lying, obnoxious, cheating **CHEATER**!" All traces of remaining guilt flew out of my head as I struggled to move, trying to get my hands around his cheating, lying neck and strangle him until he died. Of course, my entire body just couldn't function _properly_, could it? Instead, my entire upper body flopped and somehow landed back into Hiiragizawa's arms with my head on his stomach.

Can anyone say, _undignified? _

Not to mention extremely embarrassing because my hair was getting mussed up from brushing against his clothes and static electricity was beginning to make itself known in my hair. My eyes were probably wide and twitching at the same time from confusion and rage.

"As much as I'd like to stay and explain to you of my motives—" That's right you cheating scum! Stay and EXPLAIN to me! "—I have to go and win myself a victory..." at this I glared and he leaned down so that his face was close to mine "...and a _slave_." His handsome face smiled slightly, or in my words, smirked. Stupid, smirking, scum of a sesame seed! Never mind my odd insults! It's the meaning behind it that counts! That _elephant_!

Normally I would've been flabbergasted and flustered (see, F-descriptions match me better and S-words fit him perfectly!) because his face was only an inch away from mine, and considering our position, would've suggested something so intimate I will _not_ say it, but I was not flabbergasted nor flustered.

I was bull-raging indignant and angry. "How dare you, you beep beep of a beep!" or "Kiss my beep you son of a beep beep!" would have been considerate of my helpless position. But no, instead, I was extremely calm and looked at him straight in the eye and said coolly, "We'll see who wins in the end." Oooh, hear that? I just said, 'we'll see'...just like that!

I guess I must have satisfied him, being the insensitive, sadistic, cheating bastard he was, because he smirked and whispered, "I look forward to it." I glared at him, but it was dark, so it was more of a guessing squint. He pushed me so that I was standing straight once again. And to my horror, he bowed.

No, the bow didn't horrify me, but the freezing of my rigid body did. All I could think of was, THAT BASTARD! He smiled mischievously and winked, walking away. And no, I did NOT blush. I was reddening with anger, that's what. Yeah...

"TOMOYOOO! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Oh. My. Goodness.

Sakura was running past me at full speed, nearly blowing Er—Hiiragizawa away. I felt a surge of hope blossom in me as I watched her run with wide eyes. Could it be...? I wasn't going to lose this bet after all? I could hardly keep from cheering out loud. YES! Go Sakura! GO SAKURA! My cousin! My best friend!

I knew it was too nice of Fate. I knew I shouldn't have celebrated so early. A hedge wall suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of the auburn-haired girl, causing her to crash into it—letting Hiiragizawa stroll past her and exit the maze.

Cheater.

"Seeing as you lost, the victor goes to Eriol Hiiragizawa and his friends. Tomoyo Daidouji and her friends will now serve their part of the bet." I listened dully as Kei Inasu droned on and on about how _I_ lost and _Hiiragizawa _won. Who bloody cares? It's not as if I'm going to break down and cry in front of my enemy! So what if I'm now a slave to HIM for a whole week? I know already! So if they'd just stop rubbing it in my face like the MATURE boys they are I'd really, really appreciate it.

I looked around at my tired and defeated friends. Naoko was glaring so hard at Kei I feared for his skin and what would become of it. But I didn't really care. And Chiharu was just plain tired. Rika, on the other hand, was strangely energetic, and was smiling, particularly at an extremely battered, almost crying, Yamazaki. Sakura was glaring at E-Hiiragizawa as if he was a lying, cheating bastard—which he was. I sighed slightly, feeling disappointed in myself that I'd let my friends down.

"...You will listen to whatever your master tells you to do, and serve his every need..." And he drones on and on with that silly smirk on his face. Why does all the good-looking guys have that disgusting personality? Kei Inasu was fairly good-looking yet he was cursed to become a Hiiragizawa clone. And I won't even get into Syaoran. Yamazaki was pretty okay, but he was still their friend.

I'm a loser. I let down my friends. I'm such a loser—

Wait. That's right. I'M the loser. ME. Not anyone else. Just me. Oh, ho, ho, I've got it! I can save my friends by sacrificing myself! After all, it's not like they're the ones in this bet! It's just Hiiragizawa and me! Yes! I am brilliant!

"Hold it!" I interrupted Kei The red-blond-head-cutie-with-a-bad-personality. Everybody blinked at me as I held up my palm solemnly. "This bet was only between Hiiragizawa and me—nobody else. So that means the consequences are for _only_ him and me." My friends looked at me with incredulous expressions, but I ignored them. "Therefore, I will be the only one... _serving_ him. My friends will not be involved in this." I looked carefully at the guys, ready to challenge them if they argued. I was not in a happy-happy mood, and I was ready to bite anyone's head off.

"Tomoyo," Sakura started, "is right." I felt relieved in my mind. And then she glared, and my relief waved bye-bye. "But I'll be serving the consequences with her." I turned to gently refuse but she snapped, "No, Tomoyo! I'm going to be a slave whether you like it or not!" Oookay. I kept my mouth shut.

Syaoran stepped forward with a smirk, looking at Sakura's emerald eyes. "I have no objections to Kinomoto being a _slave_." He glanced at Hiiragizawa, whom I haven't looked at since coming out of the maze. "What do you say?"

I could feel those dark blue eyes on me, but I blissfully ignored it and concentrated on the fungi beside my shoe. I think it's a mushroom, with spots, so it had to be poisonous. Perhaps I should eat it right now and die laughing at Hiiragizawa's face...? Nah. That'd be too cowardly. Something HE would do.

Finally, the blue-haired guy spoke. "...I agree with Daidouji." My head shot up and those piercing dark eyes caught mine. He just _agreed _with me. What is this world coming to? I immediately grew suspicious. What if there was something behind all this...? Maybe he had an ulterior motive? He tilted his head. "Her friends can choose to do whatever they want, but..." at this his eyes grew darker, and I blanched inside, "_she_ will be _my_ slave." He ended with a nice, trademark smirk.

I don't know if it was the idea of being his slave, or the way he smirked quite darkly, or the way he said '_my'_ so suggestively, but it made me glare. I should be growing tired by now of glaring, especially at this late at night—

Holy freaking moly. What time was it? My eyes widened as I looked down at my watch, but found there was none. Dang it. Right when I need my Rolex, customized, silver watch the most, it was sitting at _home_ in my _drawer_.

_Home._ Oh my goodness, what if my mother was HOME! She'd be freaking out, calling security and the entire police force!

My mind grasped a lesson I learned when I was out camping with Sakura back at the tender age of six. Her father taught us how to read time with only the sun, and a stick. I bit my lip as I looked around for a stick. There was one lying behind Yamazaki. I hurried towards it, and then looked for some sunlight...

Hehe, no, I was just kidding! Eh... it IS night. Of course there'd be no sun! Ha ha ha... ha. Everyone may now applaud for Tomoyo Daidouji and her genius mind.

So instead, I searched for moonlight. Ah! There was a patch right by Sakura. I headed towards it and jammed the stick in the moss, and then leaned back, observing my handy work. So how was I supposed to read it now? Something about the shadow... I frowned in frustration. I was running out of time!

"Tomoyo? What are you doing?"

I ignored my cousin as I stared at my "clock". Which way do you look at it again? I cocked my head, wondering if it was the other side. It was something about the stick's shadow... I think. I was oblivious of the fact that everybody, including my friends, was staring at me as though I were insane. Of course, _that_ observation is a little overdue, as I'm sure Hiiragizawa knows by now. I'm a hopeless cause. But a hopeless cause desperate for the time.

And all the sudden, an object appearing before my face breaks me from my deep thoughts. I blinked. It said in glowing figures, **11:08**. Hmm, that was nice to know and all, but I failed to understand why... Who's showing me this? I looked up at the grinning Yamazaki, who looks like he's about to faint. Er, yes, why Yamazaki is showing me the time.

...Shut up, shut up, all of you! I knew it was the actual TIME. I was just... testing my own skills!

I should crawl into a hole while I'm at it.

"Well," I said, standing up with a regal air, "it's getting late. We have to be going now." Come, come,Rika, Naoko, Sakura...! I pivoted gracefully and flounced away with as much dignity as possible.

And walked straight into a tree.

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I was the luckiest person to be ALIVE. Seriously. Because if my mother happened to be home when a tired bunch of girls, including her daughter, shuffled into the house at nearly midnight wearing nicely designed clothes, she would've killed me. That is, after disowning my lucky pendant and me. And possibly killing Sakura's father. I think the latter's more probable.

As it was, my mother was not home, and we collapsed in my room without too much trouble (my butler only raised his eyebrow). It was a good thing the girls were sleeping over. Otherwise there would be a lot of parents in town murdering their own daughters. Ack, listen to me. I'm starting to think like...like...Hiiragizawa!

I just realized that the past week my mind's been on Hiiragizawa and only Hiiragizawa. Now isn't that lovely? I'm practically obsessed about him! Nope, this has gone too far. I should just stop thinking about him right now.

Too bad I'm his slave for the ENTIRE WEEK.

Stupid, stupid cheater.

I yawned and woke up, getting up from my bed and stumbling to the bathroom. As I brushed my hair, I wondered sleepily why I was so tired and grumpy. It could be that I was tired because I was grumpy. Or maybe I was grumpy because I was tired. Oh well, it didn't really matter. I finished tying my long, raven hair back into a ponytail and proceeded in waking up my sleeping friends.

I tripped and fell on my bed when the reason for my grumpiness hit me. Eriol Hiiragizawa, the stupid, lying, cheating scumbag. And my new master. My morning was officially ruined.

Soon everyone was awake and brushing up. I requested that our breakfast be brought up to my room, since we were so tired. A few maids carried trays of eggs, bacon, biscuits and other yummy food and we all started eating. It was kind of funny how nobody talked about anything that happened last night. And I kind of preferred it that way, since it wasn't a very pleasant topic whatsoever.

It was peaceful like that for a while, until Sakura just had to ask, "Tomoyo, when are we going over to Eriol's?" I gave her a look that said 'what? Are you crazy?' but she didn't buy it. "We have to discuss the rules and such, don't we?" At this, I was ready to squash the poor scrambled eggs.

"Yes," I muttered, hoping she wouldn't hear it and take my silence for a 'no'. But she heard anyway, and before I knew it, we were standing before a huge, old mansion, which I've only been to once, with Sakura holding my arm tight. Darn her. She even rang the doorbell. My plan was to knock quietly and then bolt after five seconds and pretend we're little pranksters. Obviously she didn't approve of it. I only wish I were as strong and courageous as her.

One day, I'll be able to ring the doorbell with as much confidence.

The door opened. But not before we heard screaming, yelling, crashing, banging, and a whole lot of growling. I was growing nervous and scared. It's no big deal, though. I was just at my enemy's house, ready to discuss how I was going to be his slave. Yup, nothing big.

Low and behold, the tall, blue-haired young man was standing before us. I took one look at him and quickly looked down, vowing never to visit him in the morning like this ever again. You see, the 6-foot male had obviously just woken up because his dark hair was quite messy and his glasses were nowhere to be seen. Not to mention there was a glassy expression in his blue eyes. His clothes were a mess. It seemed he had thrown on the first shirt he'd found, which was a white 'I Love New York' t-shirt, and black sweats. He was barefoot too.

"Yes?" he asked after staring in dull shock at the sight of two enemy girls standing at his front door. I glanced at Sakura from the corner of my eye and saw her trying to keep from laughing. I bit my lip and tried to do the same.

"Um," Sakura started, clearing her throat. "Well, you know the bet last night and the results: Tomoyo and I are here to discuss it." She seemed to dislike what she said, but the image of Hiiragizawa sort of made up for the defeat.

He looked at us with a raised eyebrow, as if wondering if we were serious. I frowned slightly and asked, "What? Is there a problem with that?" He gazed at me for a while and leaned against the doorway. I crossed my arms, feeling slightly annoyed. "Well?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. Life started returning to him because his eyes weren't as glassy anymore. "I don't have a problem with that at all. It's probably the fact that the _losers_ are actually coming here and admitting defeat... well, it's very interesting." A slight smirk tugged at his lips. "You're very eager to become my slave, aren't you Daidouji?"

...It's all right Tomoyo...just count slowly to ten...that's right, deep breath...

Sakura stepped in for me. "No, Eriol, it's the fact that she's trying to be the better person here and fulfill her part of the bet—one which she doesn't necessarily deserve." Her emerald eyes frowned at him as he grinned mischievously. "You really shouldn't cheat like that." Obviously she didn't like crashing into the hedge wall like that. I don't blame her, really.

He shrugged. "Hey, it was your friend that cheated first." I glared at him. Sakura turned to blink at me. She didn't see him wink at me. _That little...!_

"Tomoyo? You didn't cheat, did you?" I decided not to answer her since I was too busy glaring at the grinning enemy.

"Fine," I snapped. "Then we _won't_ discuss anything." I whirled away, taking Sakura's arm, seething. The nerve of the man! He was saying that I cheated! I was going to _win_, fair and _square_! He's the one being a _triangle_!

"Wait," he said. I wasn't going to wait, but it seemed I had no choice as he grabbed my arm. "Let's discuss now, shall we?" I didn't have time to respond as he pulled Sakura and me into the mansion and shut the door.

**A/N: Should I stop here? ...Hmm...nah. **

Antiques, antiques, antique, Spinel, antiques, antiques, paintings, antiques, antiques, and oh, is that a mirror? And, what, is that an antique? Antique, antique, antique...and ooh,more bloody antiques. Fabulous mansion, he's got here. Really, I envy him. After all, I only have a mansion too.

What? I'm not really in a good mood. Seriously. If I was a little happier, I would admire the collection of dust he has (see? I'm just not happy) and the layers of old books in that massive library we just past by. For some reason, he didn't let go of my arm until I realized he was still holding it, and even then it was after a minute or so. And for reasons unknown, I didn't exactly mind.

I blame it all on my bad mood.

We didn't say anything, except when he asked politely if we wanted anything to eat, which we politely declined, until we reached the third floor. I began to wonder where he was taking us. I also wondered where Nakuru, his bubbly and cheerful, companion and maid, was. It bothered me because she was usually popping up everywhere by now, wrecking havoc.

I guess Sakura was thinking the same because she asked, "Where's Nakuru?" Hiiragizawa glanced back and turned a corner, passing a huge painting of an... orange?

"She's at the mall, buying presents."

I blinked. Presents? Then it dawned on me. Christmas! The winter holidays were coming up and I'd forgotten about them. I think it's because of Eriol Hiiragizawa. I gave his back a glare and tossed my head. Soon, he stopped before a door and opened it. We followed him, and stopped in our tracks.

Syaoran, Yamazaki and Kei were sprawled on several couches in the large room, snoring fitfully. Sakura and I stared at them in surprise before cracking grins, stifling our laughter. Eriol—Hiiragizawa didn't look at us as he shook them all awake. Sakura nudged me as she covered her giggles, pointing at Yamazaki who was sitting up, his black hair sticking up a few inches.

Finally, one of the sleepy guys spotted us standing near the door and, after staring for a full ten seconds without blinking, yelped, "It's Sakura and Tomoyo!" Needless to say, Hiiragizawa was not a happy victor-who-cheated.

Ten minutes later found all of us sitting around a table on the first floor, with Sakura and me sitting on one side, watching the guys in front of us eating. I felt slightly disgusted as they shoved ham and bacon and gulped down juice without stopping. It's amazing how they manage to get a single bite of food in their stomachs by that rate.

I was pleased to see that Hiiragizawa was not very comfortable with Sakura and me watching his friends eat like animals. My cousin especially found delight in smirking at Syaoran, who didn't seem to care that his enemy was watching him spill food. Perhaps this little visit of submission was not so bad as I thought it would be...

"So, what did you two want to discuss?"

And I speak too soon once again.

Eri—Hiiragizawa seemed to read my expression quite well because he smirked and leaned back in his chair. "Weren't you going to discuss about your servitude to us?" That egotistical brat. I wasn't going to discuss anything with the likes of him! Who cared that it was me who brought up the subject in the first place? Who cares if I'm in HIS stupid mansion?

Sakura spoke up. "Well, since we lost, we want to know what you guys want." She glared pointedly at the guy's grins. "And nothing sick! Perverts." I think they were offended, but that was a good thing. I nodded in agreement.

"So," Syaoran said, "You two are our slaves?" He smirked at us.

Hiiragizawa nodded, a thoughtful look behind his glasses. I think he looked better without them. The glasses. They were like veils over his eyes... I don't know. "Being our slaves mean listening to every word we say, and obeying our every order." He waited for us to reluctantly nod. "Your time is devoted to us and only us for the rest of the week... that is, until the end of Saturday. Got it?" We nodded again, scowling. I was beginning to regret coming face to face with him like this. Maybe then Sakura and I could have avoided him. Or maybe not.

My cousin frowned. "And who exactly am I serving?"

I turned to Syaoran, who was surprisingly not smirking and claiming that he was the master. He seemed to be looking intently at the table, his dark brown eyes in concentration. And was that a hint of red on his cheeks...? I glanced at Sakura, but she didn't notice his odd behavior.

Eriol—Hiiragizawa seemed to take notice of this also, and I thought his eyes caught mine before shifting to Kei and Yamazaki. The two guys were almost asleep in their plates of food. "Well, seeing as the only possible candidate is Syaoran, he'll be your master." I could feel Sakura flinching at the words, but she nodded stiffly.

I suddenly realized what being slaves meant, and since I was sitting right in front of my supposed master in his own HOUSE, and there was an uncomfortable silence surrounding the room, I jumped up out of my seat. Sakura blinked and slowly stood with me. I wanted to get out of the room—no, the freaking _mansion_—right now. Without looking at Hiiragizawa, I announced, "Well, we'll be going then. Sorry for coming unannounced. See you tomorrow." I turned around, Sakura turning with me as she apprehended my plan.

"But wait..." I cursed mentally at the sound of the voice. "Where are you going?" I didn't turn around for fear of not being able to escape.

"Er, we need to go home. Our parents are expecting us," Sakura explained without much nervousness. I felt relieved with her cleverness. We started walking again when Hiiragizawa spoke.

"It can wait, right? Because we want you to wash the dishes." I could hear the amusement in his voice, but it didn't rub off me. In fact, I wanted to punch his lights out. Once again, the Daidouji violence is rearing its beautiful head. I welcomed it for the first and not the last time.

Sakura and I turned back grudgingly, not looking at the smirking guys, and started picking up the dishes. Just as I was contemplating whether to fling the dish of scrambled eggs on Hiiragizawa's head, an unexpected angel from heaven came bouncing into the room. A certain red-haired, strange-outfit-wearing guardian...

"NAKURUU!" Sakura greeted excitedly and flung herself on the startled maid. Nakuru easily grinned and hugged her back, spinning her around as she ditched her many shopping bags. I blinked, watching them. Soon, Sakura was released and the redhead rounded on me.

"TOMOYOOO!" I felt lightheaded as I was, too, taken for a joy ride in spinning circles. "I haven't seen you two in years! What are you doing here!" We all grinned happily at each other.

Sakura quickly responded, "Well, we were just taking care of some business with Eriol and his friends, and we offered to clean the dishes." I immediately saw where this was going. I mean I could see the wheels rolling in my cousin's head. And man, the idea was brilliant. Better even than mine!

"Yeah," I added quickly, "but we don't have much time to stay. We promised our parents we would be home soon." Nakuru immediately got it. Whether she understood our plan or just our excuse, we don't know.

"Well then, you shouldn't be keeping them waiting!" She tsked at the two guys frowning at the table. I hid my grin when I met Hiiragizawa's eyes. He seemed to be deciding whether to interrupt Nakuru or smile. "What are you two doing, making two guests, never less ladies, do all this work?" She took Sakura and my shoulders and led us out the room and towards the front door. "I'll just take care of all this! Sakura, Tomoyo, make sure you visit very soon!" She winked and grinned. "Besides, you'll want to spend more time with Master and Syaoran! Well, good bye!" She pushed us out the door.

I looked at Sakura as she looked at me. We both broke out into giggles, hurrying away from the mansion. Well, that wasn't so bad. At least we were safe from our 'masters' for today.

For some reason, I felt a pricking on neck and I looked back at the mansion.

At the top window I spotted a familiar face. Eriol was watching me with an unreadable expression. I lifted an eyebrow daringly. He just smiled slightly and mouthed something. I blinked. Then he disappeared.

What did he just say?

"_Tomorrow. We'll see. Slave." _

I furrowed my eyebrows and turned back. Really, the nerve of that guy. How much more arrogant can he get?

Apparently, a whole lot more.

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**A/N: So, I finally finished the seventh chapter...all in one day. **

**Yes, I'm quite proud of myself. You should be too. Well, thank you for the reviews! I'll make sure to list those kind readers. As soon as I take the responsibility to be a good author. Yes, yes, that will be the day, I know. **


	8. Confusion is Insanity's best friend

A/N: I really want to thank those reviewers who gave me the inspiration and encouragement I needed to write this chapter. You people gave me motivation beyond...um...motivation. So yeah! Thanks!

**Disclaimer: Card Captors and everything in it is off-limits to poor, desperate fans like me. So no, I do not own Card Captors.

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**Chapter 8: Confusion is Insanity's best friend...

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**Eriol's POV**

_I only have a little magic left. _

_Back in elementary school days when I was still a cute, powerful magician and Sakura was still a developing card captor, magic would be a part of me as my own hands. Using magic would be as simple as putting on or taking off my glasses. But I knew it would only be temporary. The magic. I would not be able to keep it forever. So when the time came for me to give my magic to Sakura, I made sure to reserve some of my own... for emergency. _

_I only just have a little magic left. _

_And I use what little I have remaining to complete key tasks that will ultimately lead me to my goal. _

_Such as moving innocent banana peels. _

_Manipulating teacher's minds so that tournaments are held. _

_I can't say that having ice cream in my hair is a pleasant experience. However... it just may be worth it. _

**Tomoyo's POV**

I feel like crap. Seriously.

I started IT today. And IT's been hurting me and giving me cramps like no tomorrow. Being a woman _sucks_. And with that, my feminist pride is going down the drain.

Not _only_ that, but while moaning in my misery and pain, I was hit with the realization that I was Hiiragizawa's slave starting today. _Not_ good.

I want something. I _need_ something. I really, really need it and I'm not going to stop hurting until I get it! Where is it! I hobbled around my room and shuffled through the mess that was my desk. And there, lying half-open in all its gloriousness was my savior. _Peanut butter-covered chocolates with coconut._ I snatched it up greedily and took one out.

One bite of that delicious little morsel and my pain began to lessen. I could feel its magic working its way through that dull, aching cramp and sooth my raging abdomen. It was like the antidote for my poison... the cold massage cream for my sore, tired muscles...the first gulp of cold, clear water after an intense hour of running and weight room... it was _heaven_.

I munched happily on the peanut buttery-goodness as I rummaged through my clothes, wondering what I should wear. The weather was cold outside, as it should be during the winter. Though snow hadn't come yet, everybody was anticipating the fluffy whiteness to arrive on Christmas day.

Because I felt like I had all the time in the world to dress in my warm sweater, I mulled over the events that would be taking place soon. Winter break was a little more than a week away, and the Winter Festival was held on the evening before the long-awaited vacation. I chewed on a particularly tasty chocolate and wondered why the Festival felt so significant in my mind.

Oh yeah... _I'm_ one of the committee members that are hosting it. Now how could I forget such an important thing like that...? I shrugged.

Now for the bet. I wasn't going to give up and let Hiiragizawa walk over me just because I lost a battle. No, of course not. Even if it was a significant battle, which would have been the key to my success, had I won... but it didn't matter anymore. Past is past! There was still the future! I nodded resolutely and went down to the kitchen.

The cook wasn't up yet, so I looked through the cupboards of the empty kitchen looking for some suitable food, all the while clutching my precious bag of heavenly morsels. Ah hah! With a smile of satisfaction, I pulled out a jumbo-sized bag of the peanut butter-covered chocolates with coconuts I craved for and immediately stuffed it in my backpack. There. Now I'm all set for school. Possibly even ready to face Hiiragizawa and his gloating, commanding self.

That's when IT really started to kick in.

At first I thought it was just because I hadn't worn it in a long while, therefore letting it shrink a little over time. But then I realized that it fit perfectly fine along my shoulders and arms, and that the problem was focused on my stomach. I was absolutely and positively SHOCKED.

And it wasn't like being shocked in a good way, like 'oh-my-this-is-a-pleasant-surprise!' shock. But the 'oh-my-beep-this-is-absolutely-positively-terrible!' kind of shock.

My sweater was too tight for my stomach. No, correction: I was too _fat_.

I was FAT! I was absolutely and positively FAT! As I stared down in horror at my now-bulging stomach and how the sweater looked absolutely atrocious on me, the cook, David, walked into the kitchen and greeted me amiably. I lifted my wide eyes up to his kind brown ones.

Now that I think about it, I should be feeling really sorry for David the Cook because at that moment I flung myself at him and started sobbing. I wailed, wept and poured a river of tears on his apron, which was bulging slightly because of his round tummy. I guess it was the knowledge that somebody else had a bigger proportioned body part than me that I abruptly stopped crying. The poor cook was left blinking dumbly at his wet apron as I skipped out of the kitchen, humming 'Where are you Christmas?' with a dazed smile on my face.

As it was, I didn't feel sorry at all for David (I blame it all on IT) and went up to my room to change out of the stupid sweater. I wore a sweatshirt that had my mother's old college name on it and resumed chomping that delectable, tasty peanut-buttery goodness. Those heavenly snacks lifted my spirits up so much that I decided I would go to school _early_. I hadn't done that in a long while.

And so I went back down, got my backpack (and waved a cheery goodbye to an extremely wary David) and happily walked to the limo already waiting for me outside. The weather was indeed very chilly, so I was glad I wore the old sweatshirt because it kept me so snug and warm. In the limo, where it was considerably warmer, I kept my bag of chocolates on my lap and contentedly leaned back in those plush, leather seats.

Then, Mood Swing #3 (counting my tears and cheerfulness) introduced itself in the form of _locked, window-buttons_.

It was beginning to get stuffy from the heater and the warmth of my snuggy-wuggy sweatshirt, and I was slightly growing irritated. So, I pushed the button that would let the tinted windows slide down oh-so-magically and bring in the cool, fresh air that I desired. For some reason, it failed to slide down. I frowned and pushed again. It did not do its magic. I was not happy.

"Why won't—" I pushed the button with considerably more force. "—you work—" push "—like you're supposed—" jab, jab "—to, you stupid—" JAB, JAB, JAB "—filthy piece of fu—" slam "—cked up sh—" SLAM, SLAM "—it bag! HUH!"

SLAM. SLAM. SLAM. SLAM. OW. SLAM! SLAM!

The limo eventually pulled over and the driver (Bill) asked me what was wrong. When I pointed out the stupid, broken window button, he raised his eyebrows. "Miss Daidouji," he'd pointed out, "the windows are locked on purpose. It's for your own safety." Hah! Safety my petunia. The freaking plastic nearly broke my wrist! Which, I might add, is _not_ very safe. (But then, I might also add, it was my own fault.)

"Bill," I crossed my arms, glaring, "since _when_ has the windows been locked for my own safety?"

"Miss Daidouji, it's been that way since you were born." And with that, we were back on the road again, with me sulking and glaring fiercely at the window button-that-was-not-broken-but-locked-for-my-own-safety. The window might win for today, but mark my words; I would not let it beat me! Both the window _and _Hiiragizawa! Evil will not prevail!

Actually, his connection with England isn't that bad. I love their bloody accents. And the way they say 'bloody' ever bloody sentence. I like it. I like it a lot.

And hence, I continued to eat my peanut butter-covered chocolates with coconuts in silence.

When the limo pulled up at the high school entrance, I noticed there was something very strange about the building. There was something different about it...so different, that I wonder if maybe there was a renovation. Then I realized that the entire place was empty. It was void of any movement and objects.

There were no students. Of course, this was to be expected, seeing as I arrived at nearly an hour before class started. Even now I could see a few teachers opening their classroom doors, yawning. And I suddenly thought...why am I here so early? I had an _hour_ of freedom to spend...quite literally.

And so, I _ordered_ (which the normal IT-free Tomoyo Daidouji normally would not have done) Bill to drive me to the Kinomoto residence. If I had an hour to spend however I wished, I might as well be enjoying it with Sakura. Especially since she's my slave-in-partner. Perhaps we can formulate a plan against the evil Eriol Hiiragizawa and window button...

"Tomoyo..." Sakura said tiredly, rubbing her sleepy eyes. I was standing at her front door, a bright smile on my face. "...Why are you... up so early...?" And without waiting for an answer, she let me inside and shut the door.

Since she was already up and awake, she decided to brush up and get ready for school. She didn't mention anything about the slave issue, and I didn't bring it up, so Plan Annihilate Evil Hiiragizawa was not discussed. Neither was the Evil Window Button-that-was-not-broken a topic. Instead, we talked about the upcoming Winter Festival.

"I know I'm in charge of the winter sports activities," she confessed as she ate cereal. She pointed her spoon at me as I stuffed my face with peanut butter-covered chocolates with coconuts. "Tomoyo, you signed up for the drama section, right? So you can design the outfits?" Ah, she knew me too well. I nodded happily, popping another chocolate into my mouth. She wrinkled her nose at my almost-empty bag of heaven. "Oh no, you're not eating _those_ again." I gave her an indignant look and clutched the bag. What was so wrong with my lifesavers? She sighed and didn't pursue the issue.

"So how do you know you're in charge of sports?" I asked as she got up to put the cereal bowl in the sink.

She gave me a smug smile. "Well, the Committee President happens to trust me with the results of the festival events." At this I raised both my eyebrows, finding the fact very interesting. So interesting that I didn't notice my bag was empty.

"Sakura... the Committee Presidents happens to have a HUGE crush on you." Yes, yes, a crush. A crush the size of Texas. Goodness, that boy really needed some tips in hiding his feelings. If Sakura so much as passed by him he would stand stock still for about five minutes, his entire face red as a tomato. It was a little known fact that Syaoran Li didn't like him very much. My cousin's eyes widened as she stared at me in amazement. Apparently she didn't know of this little detail.

"Oh, well...that's very nice of him," she commented lamely. She frowned slightly and bit her lip. I could tell what was going on in her mind. She was surprised that a guy liked her so much, and was too nice to say anything bad about it, no matter how she felt. That was your typical Sakura Kinomoto: though she had a rough exterior, her heart was soft as melted cheese...

Hmm, I suddenly have a craving for melted cheese. (I wonder why). When I told Sakura this, she blinked in confusion, then understood (because she knew I had IT) and proceeded making me a toasted cheese sandwich. When Touya lumbered down the stairs and into the kitchen, he didn't seem surprised at all that I was sitting there, eating away at the delicious cheese sandwich and popping in a random peanut butter-covered chocolate with coconuts. But he was annoyed that I was sitting in his usual seat.

But then, I was a girl on IT. I didn't care about anything.

After Sakura finished her morning spat ritual with her brother, and kissed her father goodbye, we went to the limo that was waiting outside and drove off to school. I had now started on my new, jumbo-sized bag of peanut butter-covered chocolates with coconuts. And then it hit us quite hard.

We were slaves to Eriol Hiiragizawa and Syaoran Li.

I considered telling (no, _ordering_) Bill to turn around and take us back home, but then, that would be too cowardly of me. I was still determined not to fall before Hiiragizawa, and having IT did nothing to change my resolution. There was nothing that could stop me from fulfilling my goal to defeat Hiiragizawa.

That was why, immediately after Bill dropped us off, Sakura and I found ourselves looking for Eriol Hiiragizawa and Syaoran Li. I guess they were waiting for us to arrive, because as soon as we stepped toward the now-crowded school, the tall blue-haired young man stepped in front of me, blocking my path. I looked back over my shoulder and saw Sakura in a similar position with Syaoran.

Seeing no hope for it, I swallowed and turned back to face my "master" (ugh), waiting for him to speak. He stepped forward, making the distance between us less than decent, so I stepped back to make it more than decent. I heard him make a sound of amusement. I was determined not to look up into those dark blue eyes of his, for fear of losing my ability to speak. He had a way of looking straight through you... Becoming tongue-tied in front of your enemy is not very pleasant. Once is enough for me.

He still hadn't said anything. Yet. So I waited more. I was growing quite impatient, and anxious, because I wanted him to hurry up and give me an order so I could get it over with. Also, I was craving for another bite of my peanut buttery antidote, which was carefully tucked away in my bag.

And he still didn't say anything. And I still waited some more. Finally, I looked up quickly to see what was wrong up there (ha ha, that was a height joke... against me) and was startled when I saw twinkling amusement in his blue eyes. What was he hiding? Why was he being so mysterious? So annoying?

"Finally. I was wondering when you were going to stop hiding." And he speaks. Oh my, what an astonishing feat. I think I'm going to gasp and gush about how utterly amazing this achievement has brought us all. And... wait. What did he say? I blinked. He said I was hiding? Now what in the world did _that_ mean? I wasn't hiding! In fact, _I_ was the one seeking!

He saw my look of confusion and explained, "You weren't looking at me. I thought maybe you weren't confident enough to look me in the eye. Thus, you're hiding."

Then he had to go and smile, with this amused quirk on the corner of his lips. It was as if he was smiling at _me_. Like... a genuine, friendly, smirk-free, nice and caring smile. At me. It was safe to say that I was utterly and completely confused at his sudden change in character. And I was still craving for that bite of heaven waiting in my bag.

Thankfully the bell rung, and I was able to escape slave-order free. Hiiragizawa called after me, "Meet me at the public library after school." I was already halfway towards the school building by then, and cringed at the prospect of spending more time with him, but agreed anyways. Besides, I was relieved that I didn't have to _do_ anything for him at the moment.

Sakura did not feel the same relief that I was lucky to have felt. As the math teacher lectured about not having to memorize postulates, I nudged Sakura and asked what happened with Syaoran. She frowned, which was her instant reaction to hearing her mortal enemy's name, and sighed. "He told me to meet him at the public library after school so we can "discuss more things in general".

A faint alarm rang in my head as my own eyebrows furrowed. "Hmm, that's strange," I pondered, "Hiiragizawa told me the same thing." We both looked at each other, blinking.

"Maybe they're planning on ambushing us," she offered thoughtfully, twirling her pencil. "Or, they're going to kidnap us so we can be ransom." I raised my eyebrow at this. Ransom? Well, it wasn't impossible...

Someone was standing behind Sakura, and I didn't notice him until he shifted slightly. I looked up to see Syaoran. He lifted a finger up to his lips and kept his eyes on my oblivious cousin's head. I raised both my eyebrows, watching him as he placed his hands quickly over Sakura's eyes. She had been talking about the different ways a person could possibly kidnapped in a public library, but fell silent when she felt his hands. I held my breath, waiting to see what he would say.

He snorted. "Yeah, as if anybody would kidnap _you_. You're hardly worthy."

Hmm, it seemed he needed to take a few classes with the Committee President as well.

The auburn-haired girl bristled, most likely because she knew who it was, and took his hands off her eyes. I barely detected a hint of red in her cheeks as she grabbed her textbook, stating, "I wouldn't put kidnapping past the likes of _you_. And if you touch me one more time, Li, I'll make sure you never have children." Ooh, tough words, my dear. But he only gave her head an amused look.

"Remember," he drawled, "you listen to _me_. You're the slave, I'm the master." He leaned forward and said more softly, "And you shouldn't threaten people. It's unbecoming on you, little _flower_." He smirked, slowly straightening.

"Oh shut up," my cousin grumbled, glaring at the textbook. And what's that I see...? Oh my. Our little Sakura flower seems to be _blushing_. Syaoran ambled back to his seat, a triumphant expression on his face. He started talking to Yamazaki, whom I noticed still had some markings on his face from the night we were at the maze. I'm beginning to wonder what Rika did to him.

Instead of teasing Sakura, because I felt bad for her, I thought about Hiiragizawa (again). Why was he acting so differently today? I mean I can't say I don't like it, because it was certainly better to endure his nice, weird attitude than Syaoran's usual cocky manner. But still, Hiiragizawa was acting very strange. And I was determined to get to the bottom of it. I nodded resolutely as I munched some more of my peanut butter-covered chocolates with coconuts.

Never in a hundred years did I think I'd ever say (or think) this, but...

Eriol Hiiragizawa has the softest, best smelling handkerchief I've ever known in my entire life. And exactly how did I come across this startling revelation? Hmm, maybe I shouldn't tell... it's kind of embarrassing. Oh well, since I'm the one who brought it up in the first place... I guess I should explain from the very beginning, seeing as that's always the best place to start long and complicated explanations.

Let's begin with Hiiragizawa's change in behavior this morning. He was not being the arrogant, cheating bastard I thought he would be, but instead an all right, sufferable human being in general. I thought his odd behavior was confusing, so naturally, I came up with the only reasonable explanation possible: He was planning Something.

I was especially suspicious when he told me to meet him at the library after school, as was Sakura, so I was determined to possibly prevent any sort of tricks and/or traps that would inevitably come our way.

However, when we met our two masters sitting quietly at a table and barely glancing up to acknowledge us before going back to their books, our suspicion dropped down a notch, though our irritation rose a bit. Not only that, but Hiiragizawa told me he needed me to help research for his Greek project, which would make up for his final grade of the semester. By then, my suspicion was close to zero, and so began the confusion.

Syaoran dragged his reluctant "flower" slave to the other side of the library where the computers were located, saying something about hacking into the teacher's grade book. Although I was tempted to see what they were up to, I quenched my curiosity and stayed quite loyally by Hiiragizawa's side (urg). And I was left all alone with him in the way back of the nearly empty library. _Alone_.

Once we sat down, he started his infiltration of muddling my brain and leaving me confused and scattered thoughts. He did this by being _nice_. Not the 'I'm-going-to-pretend-to-be-nice-to-you-so-you-can-help-me-research' kind of nicety, but the 'I-want-to-be-your-friend' kind of nice. Yes, _that_ kind of nice.

You can imagine my confusion by now. I mean why was he being so nice all the sudden? Of course, I only reasoned that he must be planning my downfall or something.

As I looked through a book of Grecian translations, I steadily ate my peanut butter-covered chocolates with coconuts, and while doing that, eating away the last bit of sanity I had left (for now).

"Daidouji?" His voice still held that calm, eerily friendly note, which I'd started getting used to by then. However, I was too engrossed in that fascinatingly boring book of translations to look up at Mr. Weird. How did those people read this stuff? What kind of alphabet did they go by?

"Hmm?" I answered with much difficulty. I popped another delicious heavenly bite into my mouth, still not looking up. Whoa, was that a swear word I saw? And a very suggestive picture to go along with it too, I might say. Oooh... Bad Tomoyo, bad.

"I have a request for you." At this my ear pricked a bit, but I ignored it and nodded slowly, turning the yellowing page carefully. Perhaps I should've taken Ancient History also. All this stuff was highly interesting, not to mention easy to do research on. I must say, I admire Hiiragizawa's choice in choosing the easiest classes, though I disapprove the fact that he, being a reincarnated wise person, would be lazy and not take classes that are a little up to his standards.

Then he dropped the bomb.

"Call me Eriol from now on."

As I was reaching into my bag of bliss, my hand found the bag was empty, therefore... no more peanut butter-covered chocolates with coconuts. And it was then I snapped. I guess the mood swings IT brought on in the morning, the science test I forgot to study for, and Hiiragizawa's sudden change in attitude... and now my empty bag of peanut butter-covered chocolates with coconuts... Well, that did it. It was just too much for my IT-influenced brain.

I burst into tears. Quite loudly, I might add. I shamelessly broke down, crying into the Grecian translation book and clutching the now-empty bag of peanut butter-covered chocolates with coconuts to my chest. Then I was reminded of my stomach, and how FAT it looked in my sweater this morning, and I wailed even harder. I was blatantly crying, a sure sign of weakness, in front of my enemy.

I think it's safe to assume Hiiragizawa was just a little more than startled. After all, he only did ask that I called him his first name from now on. And hey, what was up with _that_? Call him by his name? When we were supposed to be rivals, AKA _enemies_? There was something quite wrong up there in his head.

And indeed, there was, because then I felt him scoot closer to me and place his arm awkwardly around my shoulder. That stalled my waterworks for a second. Awkward, him? Hiiragizawa? Hah, what a _laugh_. Except, it wasn't very funny, and so I continued crying my eyes out. He started patting my back, not saying anything, but I could hear his confused silence. Humph, take that, you girl-confuser! See how it feels to be confused _now_!

"Er... Tomoyo?"

There goes Bomb #2. And I think we may have some casualties. He called me **Tomoyo**.

"Wh-wh-what?" was my watery reply, too shocked that he said my first name to think of anything else to say. Ugh, I think my nose may be running big time. I sniffled a lot and broke out into random spurts of sobs, but was beginning to calm down.

I could still feel his arm around me. "I'm sorry," he said. And before I could answer, he held out a tissue before my eyes. I blinked and took it, wiping my tears and snot. All the while I thought, well, there goes my most embarrassing moment. But right then, I didn't care. All I cared about was why Hiiragizawa—no, _Eriol_, was being so bloody damn _confusing_. And his arm was _still_ around me. I suppose it felt a little comforting, with his hand on my shoulder in an almost possessive way.

"Why are _you_ sorry?" I muttered a little rudely, most likely because I was too confused and worn out to care anymore. Instead of feeling offended, or replying in a cool, flashy way, he chuckled. "And why are you being so nice to me?" That slipped right out of my mouth. I mentally cringed as I blew my nose.

He shifted so that his arm was more comfortable around my shoulders and leaned forward. "Well, shouldn't I be asking _you_ why you're crying?" Damn. He shouldn't be asking me that. And was it just me, or was he avoiding my questions? Hmm, yes, I thought it was just me. I concluded that he was indeed planning something against me and was only biding his time.

I didn't realize I'd leaned against his shoulder until I sat up straight. I looked at him and was surprised to see a little concern in his eyes. Well, I'll be puttered if he wasn't a good actor. I resolved that I wouldn't tell him a single thing. But then, as I looked down at my empty bag, and the twinge of pain started in my stomach, I broke down yet again.

This time Hiira—Eriol (why am I saying that?) was ready for my tears, and kept patting my back, giving me another tissue. I answered his question tremblingly. "I-I... my p-peanut bu-butter-c-co-covered... ch-choc-clates... with _co-co-co-coconuts..._ are all g-gone!" And that was a good enough explanation for me.

I heard him make an odd noise, like he was stifling laughter. I looked up glaringly to see his emotionless mask of a face. He smiled comfortingly at me. I almost choked. He was smiling that smile again like... like he was my friend! I was growing tired of his charade by the second.

"Wh-why are you... being so _nice_?"

He was still smiling that stupid smile as he answered calmly, "Shouldn't I be _nice_ to a lady in distress?" I stopped crying to gape at him. _Huh?_ So he was being abnormally nice because I was crying? Was that it?

I blinked furiously, clutching the tissue up to my red nose. "Wait... but you were nice to me this morning! What was that about? I wasn't in distress then!" He kept smiling and shrugged nonchalantly. I admired the way he kept eluding my direct questions. But I was still feeling crabby and annoyed.

What he said next caught me off guard. "Do you hate me?"

_Do I hate him?_ Well, that was one question I knew the answer to.

"No." I shook my head to go along with my response. Then he smiled again and patted my shoulder.

"Good. This morning I was feeling particularly nice, so I decided I might as well be generous to my one and only slave." He grinned mischievously, something that was so familiar to me that I was startled, and leaned forward towards me. I found myself blinking into those deep, blue eyes. "Be grateful. Because it won't happen again." He plucked the wet tissue from my frozen hands and finally removed his arm from me, leaving me to feel quite lonely.

…But only because of the lack of warmth! That was all! I found myself glaring at his turned back, my senses coming back to me. So, _Hiiragizawa_ was only being nice because he felt **particularly** nice? And he wasn't going to do it again? I tightened my jaw. Well then, this called for some _nice_, Daidouji action.

"You know, you might want to be careful, _Hiiragizawa_, because I'm—"

"Eriol." I blinked at his interruption. He repeated, "My name is Eriol."

I stared at his totally serious face. "B-but... I know! But _WHY?_!"

He grinned. "Because I'm ordering you to do so." Ah. There goes his cocky attitude.

I decided not to argue on his worthless response. "Fine." When I saw the triumph in his eyes, I couldn't help but snap, "But you won't get away with it." At that moment his cell phone rang, and as he answered, he tossed me a smirk. Damn him. I glared with all my might, hoping he could feel the burn on his head.

"Just a minute," he said, and he turned back to me. "I've got to go. Bring these books with you tomorrow to the festival committee meeting." He stood up before I could say anything and smiled roguishly. "See you tomorrow, slave." With that he walked away out of the library. I could hardly contain my outrage as I blinked at the doors. The _nerve_ of... That stupid little...!

When I lifted the tissue to wipe my nose, I realized he had taken the tissue and left a piece of cloth.As I looked atit for closer inspection, I saw that it was a handkerchief. I blinked. It was a tiny.

But it was the softest, best-smelling handkerchief I ever had.

Once Ichecked out the Grecian translation books I headed over to Sakura and Syaoran's table. For some reason Sakura was standing in front of Syaoran, who was sitting down, and her back was towards me. I frowned slightly, finding the scene extremely odd. When I got closer, I saw the amber-haired guy had his head tilted up towards Sakura, who was leaning down. Her hands were on his shoulders, and his own hands were lightly holding her arms.

And the best part... Her mouth seemed to be very close to his face.

I clapped my hand over my mouth to prevent the squeal that was threatening to come out. Sakura and Syaoran were...! I nearly jumped and clapped with joy. Slowly, as not to disturb them, I backed away, keeping my eyes on them. As I hurried out of the library, I squealed and jumped giddily. I just knew those two were meant for each other! They were so perfect together...!

In my joy, I failed to realize I was now out in the public sidewalk, and that pedestrians like me were using it. As I jumped around, I accidentally bumped hard into another person, and almost fell back. Thankfully they caught me before I could damage my hip. Growing red with embarrassment, I turned around to apologize. "Oh, I didn't see you. I'm very sorry" would have been the perfectly fine thing to say. But nooo, I didn't say it. Instead, I stared at the person, who happened to be a young man, and stuttered like the stupid girl I was.

He was handsome. He was so good-looking that he had to be a prince. _My_ prince, that is. His light brown hair was perfectly in place, and his deep, hazel eyes were full of compassion and... and... love! For me, of course. I had found my Prince Charming.

"Excuse me? That's very kind of you, but I assure I'm not at all charming." Oh... did I say that out loud? I blushed and looked down at the sidewalk, cursing myself. I'm so stupid. He must think I'm an idiot. "Um, I'm sorry for almost knocking you over," he apologized. I jerked my head back up and stared at him in amazement. His hazel eyes were truly concerned. I bit back a dreamy sigh.

"Oh, um, no! I should be the one apologizing." I ventured a smile, hoping I didn't look too much like a dope. He smiled back, a dimple making itself known on one of his cheeks. I nearly swooned. He was _amazing_. My dream man.

"Well, I couldn't just let the lady apologize, now could I?" He gave me a look of amusement. I laughed a little, yet there was something about his words that seemed irritatingly familiar. Oh well. Who cares? "My name's Muraki. Len Muraki. And what might your name be, miss?" Hn? He was asking for my NAME?

"Oh, uh, Tomoyo Daidouji." He smiled wider and took my hand, kissing it.

OH MY... AHH! I think I've died and gone to heaven! Oohhhh!

As I stood there, stammering and blushing, he somehow took out his wallet and gave me a card. He said something about calling him so we could "get to know each other better" and then he bowed and left. I was too much in a daze to realize I was blocking the sidewalk, standing there with a goofy smile on my face. I sighed, staring at the empty space in front of me.

Someone tapped my shoulder from behind. I blinked and whirled around, clutching the card tightly. Was somebody trying to steal my Prince's phone number from me? Never! They would never take him away from me! NEVER!

It was Sakura. She saw my flushed state and raised an eyebrow. "So, I'm guessing you and Eriol had fun?" Whoa, whoa, whoa. What? Hiiragizawa? Me? We had fun? My mind flashed back to when we were in the library. Images of him comforting me as I blew my nose came back full blast. No, no, that was not fun.

Suddenly, I remembered why I'd come outside in the first place. Sakura! And Syaoran! They were _kissing_! I grinned slyly and nudged my cousin's arm. "Hey Sakura. I bet you and Syaoran had _lots_ of fun."

She blinked, and then said, "What? Oh, yeah _right_! Him?" She snorted and crossed her arms, not heeding the tint of red that was rising up in her cheeks. I smiled. She was a good actress, but I could see through her act.

I could say the same for a certain blue-haired, arrogant jerk. I could see right through him... through and through.

Ack. I've got chocolate smeared on my nose. Bloody damn.

* * *

**A/N: And so the insanity continues...! I hope you liked this chapter, despite its slight craziness. I had fun writing it. Especially since I was having IT the same time Tomoyo started hers. Please review and leave me some comments and/or advise! Thank you! **


	9. Of Confusion's goal in life

A/N: Okay, so someone left me a review asking if I could update more often because it was summer vacation. I thought, well, that is a reasonable idea. But I kind of wanted more reviews before updating, being the selfish person I was. Anyways, now I know that having a lot of reviews shouldn't determine whether I write more often. If there are people who honestly like reading my story, then I should write for them. And that's the end of my reviewing speech/story. Thank you everyone for taking time off your precious day to read this little story!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Card Captors or any of its characters, nor do I think I _want_ to own them...

* * *

**

**Chapter 9: Of Confusion's Goal in Life

* * *

**

**: Right after I met my Prince Charming :**

"Mom! I've found my Prince Charming!"

"That's great honey. Introduce me to Prince Charming when I'm not in the middle of an important meeting that could possibly make us the richest people in the world and _don't_ eat the chocolate mousse I made last night. I love you."

"Love you too."

* * *

"I'm not going."

"You have to."

"No, I don't. I'm not going."

"Tomoyo..." Sakura sighed, lifting her emerald eyes toward the heavens as if to seek patience. I didn't blame her, since heaven _was_ a place of paradise. You could get all the patience in the world if you even glanced at paradise. But back to Sakura and her patience-seeking eyes. "You won't be the laughing stock of the whole school, or the city, or the _world_ for that matter. In fact, Eriol—"

"He's going to make fun of me and embarrass me in front of the whole school, the city and the whole world, Sakura! I just know he is! And you know it too! I am not going!" Yeah, let's all forget about that little 'pride and dignity' thing I was spouting off not too long ago. I was a whole new person: Tomoyo the Coward. My cousin huffed impatiently (apparently she couldn't find enough up there in paradise) and grabbed my arm, which was clutching my new supply of PeBuCCC. (Peanut butter-covered chocolates with coconuts.)

"Tomoyo," she said through gritted teeth, "I'm not about to go alone—" AHA! So _she_ was afraid too! "—and you're not about to ditch me either!" Uh, yes I am, dear cousin. She pulled me harder as I desperately clutched the front door, holding on for dear life. "You are going and that's **final**!" With the last word she tugged me from the almost-broken door and dragged me to the waiting limo, me protesting loudly all the way.

I was a baby. And I was not ashamed of it. Yet.

Sakura didn't know what really happened at the library (she keeps assuming we did something "special"... I could say the same about her and Syaoran) so she didn't understand (or maybe she didn't care) my almost blind horror as we approached the looming school. Mental flashbacks of Eriol handing me tissues as I sobbed kept going through my head, and I turned red. It was so embarrassing just thinking about it. What would he do today? Was he going to bring 'it' up? Or maybe he was going to announce to the whole school that I'd lost a battle? Either way, I was going to be humiliated. And the worst of it was...

That ultra-soft handkerchief buried deep under my pillows.

* * *

Maybe I won't be humiliated after all. Because, you see, I formulated a plan. Yes, yes, a _plan_. And a very good one too, if I may say so myself. And what a plan it is...

For some providential reason, nobody came to me today asking if I really was Eriol's slave, or if I was going to be kicked out of school yet. I didn't hear a single word about my bet with Eriol, nor any threats from his fans. In fact, I didn't even _see_ him. But considering he wasn't in any of my classes, that wasn't a very extraordinary occurrence. And a very fortunate one indeed, for facing that blue-haired bastard king was not one of my 'Top-Things-To-Do' list... not that I have a list, of course. Then I'd be crazy and wack and we don't want THAThappening.I did see his partner-in-crime, AKA Syaoran Li, ordering Sakura to massage his back (Sakura kicked him).

And that's where my ultimate plan comes in. If Eriol says a single word about that little crying episode in the library, I'll just casually let it slip (within his ear shot) that I saw his best friend kissing Sakura. How's that for a plan, eh? Yes, my brilliance startles even _me_ sometimes. Although the plan seems to be a long the line of something vaguely familiar... Ah. _Blackmailing._ But then, who doesn't resort to blackmail? I hated to expose Sakura's secret, but, well, desperate times calls for desperate measures. What can I say? I just don't have enough _courage_.

"Tomoyo!" I turned and saw Naoko, Chiharu and Sakura waiting for me. "Come on, we won't get good seats if we don't hurry up!" I hastily caught up with them, apologizing. We didn't want to be late for the committee meeting. No way. Of course we wanted good seats for the meeting.

"Where's Rika?" I asked, looking around for the brunette girl. Chiharu's lips curved into a smile as she motioned me to come closer. I complied, curiously.

"Rika decided not to be on the committee this year," she whispered, "Because _Mr. Terada_ is going to take her to her extended family in France next week. I heard he's going to propose to her soon." My eyes widened at this, and I stared at the red-haired girl with an open mouth. Rika was going to be engaged... and possibly married to the love of her life very soon! I could hardly keep my joy and excitement in as she and I exchanged grins.

"Oh guess what!" I suddenly said, whispering like the redhead had. She blinked, nodding eagerly. I grinned, realizing exactly what I wanted to say. "Well, you know Syaoran, right? You know how Sakura's his slave? Well, they were at the library yesterday and..." I paused for effect as Chiharu stared at me with wide, brown eyes. "And they were kissing!" I giggled. She gasped.

"Hey, you two!" Sakura called to us, waving. We blinked and waved back, trying hard not to look suspicious... trying not to look as if we were talking about her or something. Nope, that wouldn't be good.

Us girls joined the small mass of juniors and seniors going to the committee meeting, talking about the different groups we joined. I hoped I got into the Drama section like I signed up for. Already I could imagine the many designs I would make for the costumes and outfits. I would be in my element, and for once not be undignified. I know, I know, Tomoyo Daidouji, being dignified? Hardly likely, is more like it.

I was so caught up in my excited thoughts roaming from Rika and the festival that I didn't realize someone was walking beside me. That is, until Yamazaki suddenly squeezed between Chiharu and me ("Why, Chiharu, you look so radiant today!"), forcing me to bump into said person. The class vice president, AKA Takashi Yamazaki, (did I mention that?) grinned his usual grin at me and swung his arm around the redhead's shoulders. I looked up at the person to apologize, but it died in my throat when I saw it was Eriol.

He was here to torment me. I just KNOW he's here to torture the life out of me. I bet anyone my PeBuCCC he was going to make fun of me and tease me and rub it in my face that I CRIED in front of him yesterday.

I was ready to let my plan of his best friend kissing my best friend slip from my lips as soon as he opened his mouth. But as always, he had to go and make life difficult for me by surprising me. He obtained this by flashing me a smile and stepping closer.

"Did you bring the textbooks?" he asked casually. I blinked. Textbooks? What textbooks was he talking...? Oh. I vaguely remembered him telling me to bring the ancient Grecian textbooks from the library to the meeting today. Oops. Hehe.Guess it slipped my mind.

"Oh, uh... sorry, I forgot to bring them," I apologized, wincing inside. I was a horrible slave. But then... that wasn't a bad thing! No, of course not! It's good! I did good! But why did I have to feel so low like I was a lousy person...? Perhaps I'm feeling guilty that I'm not doing my part of the bargain to my best abilities...? Nah. It must be IT's side effects. I expected him to make an egotistical comment about how I _would_ forget something simple as bringing textbooks to school, but once again, he didn't fail to confuse me.

"No, it's okay." He smiled nicely... Ugh. What was it with him and his stupid smiles? Was it because they weren't arrogant and conceited? Or perhaps... GASP. Perhaps I was, too, falling for those handsome looks, just like hundreds of other girls in this school. Oh no, I've become... one of THEM.

Sakura thought I'd become one of them a Long, Long time ago. Perhaps she's right...? Dun, dun, dun. That 'once-upon-a-time' story is about to change.

As I stood there with him like that in the middle of the hall, I almost failed to realize that:

One, my friends have already moved on and left me

And two, Eriol and I were smack in the middle of everything so that we were in the clear view of everybody's prying eyes. I looked around and saw the curious, angry, confused and amused faces that were watching us as they walked by. A particularly angry and jealous girl who was President of a certain 'I Love Eriol' fan club was glaring at me like she wanted me to die. And believe me, I agreed with her full-heartedly, sadly to say. See what I mean about courage? Ah, I remember courage... Flying up with a certain tiger-like guardian while video-camera-ing away at a fighting Sakura... Those were the days. But anways...

I left all that behind. Those memories. They're memories that I prefer not to bring back into my life... Yeah. Hehe, not too good, huh?

I turned back to the tall blue-eyed guy and saw him still smiling at me. I blinked and blurted out, "What?" My cheeks (curse their paleness!) flushed. If possible, his smile turned even _nicer_. Grr, what was wrong with him? Why did he like to constantly flip personalities? Did he find it overly amusing to confuse me? Obviously he did. Argh, I needed to get out of here and away from HIM. Now. Or else that blond, jealous President squinting her eyes out at me will _make_ me get out of here.

"Nothing," he responded a little cheerfully. He looked unmistakably happy. I blinked again. Was the school's most popular and handsome guy actually showing innocent happiness? Eriol Hiiragizawa was smiling and acting happy for no reason... at me.

And thus, he is still one of the greater mysteries of life.

"So you're smiling for absolutely no reason? Why?" I asked, a little sharper than I'd intended it to be. In fact, it was not what I'd intended to say. I wondered why my mouth always defied my feelings and said things a little differently than I wanted it to say? Perhaps that's how I get into trouble... When he smiled again, this time with a hint of a smirk, my eyes fixed itself into a glare. Great. Now my entire body is acting against my will. Déjà vu from the maze anyone?

"Well," he said lightly, leaning towards me, "is smiling for no reason a problem? Does it..." his voice grew softer, making a quick shiver go down my spine. "...bother you?" He smirked for real. Finally.

And it pissed me off pretty quickly for no good reason. "Yes," I snapped, "It does! And you'd better not bother me for the rest of my life, or I'll send my bodyguards on you!" Well, well, Tomoyo. You've finally made a real, solid threat. Great job. Now, if only Eriol would stop looking so freaking _amused, _you can stop feeling like a dork.

"As much as I'd like to stay and chat some more, we got a meeting to go to," he said. Aw, what a bummer. Eriol Hiiragizawa had to go. Too bad. Hah. As IF. Wait... we? He stepped away and mock bowed, taking my hand. "Shall I escort you, my lady?" A mischievous glint was in his eyes. I stepped away, taking back my hand from his surprisingly gentle hold and tossed my head.

"Now I'm going to be late because of you," I grumbled, this time on _purpose_. I heard him snort behind me. Rolling my eyes, I hurried ahead, trying to leave behind the annoying human and possibly my confused thoughts.

Sakura managed to save a seat for me at the meeting room, so I was spared from standing at the back of the room for the entire meeting. I looked around quickly and spotted some familiar faces, mainly Syaoran, Yamazaki and Eriol. Kei was unsurprisingly there also, and was surprisingly sitting beside Naoko.

As the committee members settled in and the committee president got ready to speak, Sakura leaned towards me and whispered into my ear, "Why are Naoko and Kei sitting next to each other? I thought Naoko didn't like him." I blinked in shock. Sakura noticed Naoko didn't like the handsome class president? I thought I was the only one that knew that! Humph, well, that certainly takes away the fun of being the 'mastermind behind the scenes'... or something.

I whispered back, "I don't know, maybe there were no seats left but next to each other?" Highly likely, yet highly doubtful. In my case, it's always highly doubtful.

She shook her head, her emerald eyes focused on the two, unmoving people. "Nah, Naoko got here early and was sitting by herself, and Kei suddenly sat by her. He could've picked any other seat." I didn't look at her face, but I could imagine her brows furrowing. "It's weird. They don't seem to like each other, yet they want to be together... Hmmm."

I almost snorted. That relationship sure sounds familiar. But of course, I didn't say that to Sakura. I didn't have any time toanyways, becausethe committee president then cleared his throat so the room would quiet down. He sent a significant look to Sakura, who blinked, and then realized that he had a certain "liking" of her. She turned a bit red, muttering something about friends. Almost automatically my eyes turned to a brown-haired boy, whose amber eyes were narrowed to the point you could almost feel the intense heat radiating from them.

Is it just me, or is there an awful lot of suspicious couples popping up around here...?

...Yeah, I thought it was just me too.

**: Misadventures of the Committee Meeting :**

I'm bored.

It's either that, or I'm _bored. _

If I sit here for one more minute, listening to that committee president spouting off boring procedures for the freaking festival, I'm going to cry. Yes, I'm going to cry, even if it's in front of Eriol again. Remember mypride and dignitylevel is residing somewhere around .0000000000000001

Sakura snored softly. By golly, I think she's asleep. And you'd think the president would take a _hint_. But no, he just had to keep talking so he could impress the oblivious girl by his astounding length of knowledge. We've been sitting in here for a grand total of _fifty_ minutes, listening to rules that we're not even going to follow (much).

Make that fifty-_one_ bloody minutes.

Why did I even sign up for this? It's not like I need the bloody extra credit, and that's putting it lightly. The credit-needing thing, I mean. I was so ahead in my credits that I could graduate after the first semester of senior year. Not only that, my dream-college (or university) was ready for me to apply for them after graduation any time. I was set for life. Sort of. Anyways, I didn't need to suffer endless amounts of torture like I was right now just to host a bloody festival.

But then, of course, the entire junior class was required to volunteer for the festival, and I, being the 5.0 GPA perfect geek I was, got to be one of the lucky many to join the bloody committee. Lucky, bloody me.

I think that's five bloody times I've said 'bloody'. Ohp, make that six.

Oh look, the presidents done talking!

...Never mind. False alarm.

* * *

It has now been fifty-five minutes. Dear lord, so _this_ is what my mother has to put up with _every single bloody day_. Where's the coffee? Gasp. Poor mother doesn't even LIKE coffee! How does she survive? And the refreshments? Where are they? The comfortable plush seats? What about the get-up-and-leave-whenever-you-feel-like-it unwritten policy of all boring meetings?

This is driving me PAST insanity.

* * *

It has now been fifty-nine minutes and Sakura has just woken up. Oh, wait...

She's gone back to sleep.

* * *

I look across the sleepy room and catch Eriol's eyes. He's looking at me. I'm too sleepy and semi-conscious to notice that his eyes seem to have a dazed look in them also. But then, it wouldn't exactly surprise me anyway. I turn away to look at the watch on Yamazaki's wrist, which is in clear view of me (because his arm is still slung around Chiharu's shoulders for some bizarre reason) and sigh. I then glance back at Eriol and barely register that he's still gazing at me.

It has now been sixty minutes and I need to go pee.

* * *

Captain, we've got a problem. Low-ranking Tomoyo Daidouji is in need of using the manhole. (Or womanhole... urgh, just kidding.)

See her jumping up and down like a constipated pig? I've got to go NOW, she says. Shall we give her consent?

Sixty-two minutes.

* * *

They remind me of deep, blue water. The noisy trickling of that liquidly substance splashing into other liquids or just plain ground is proving too much for my need-to-go-badly imaginative self. Stop staring at me. Close those deep, sapphire-ocean-like eyes before I pee in my pants and hurt you for it. You scoundrel. You.

Sixty-six minutes.

* * *

Why am I sitting in the middle of the room? Why did Sakura have to pick these seats? If we were in the back, I could go to the bathroom quietly without anybody noticing! Why must Fate go against me like this? WHY?

The weather is very gray sixty-eight minutes outside and it's not getting better.

* * *

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

Tick.

It has now officially been seventy minutes since hell started.

Where is my heaven?

* * *

It must be real gold lining. Or perhaps silver that's gone old? Either that or it's completely fake and rusting. But then, rust can't be that shiny and smooth. So it's got to be real gold. And those little tick marks. They look like they're diamonds. Maybe they're crystals? They could be Austrian genuine crystals. And the background is a very velvety black. I wonder if it's just satin or a real cut stone. It could be a polished marble. Perhaps it's onyx? And what of the two hands? The longer one's got to be pearls. And the shorter one might even be opal. That center stone must be at least five hundred dollars... at LEAST. An emerald that size could feed a freaking country. Or at least get me out of here.

Or maybe not. After all, watches can be fake.

Yamazaki's giving me his trademark grin, along with an odd expression that clearly said 'Tomoyo you're being weird so you should stop it right now'. I guess leaning forward all the way in my seat and staring at his watch like it was about to give birth kind of irked him. I don't blame him.

Ah. The longer, white plastic hand just moved.

Seventy-five minutes.

* * *

Maybe he's bored too. After all, it isn't hard for anybody to be very bored right now. That committee president sure knows how to talk. Anyways, _he_ must be extremely bored. Because he wouldn't just randomly do _that_ and not be absolutely bored out of his mind.

Eriol sent me a note. I didn't see how he passed it along, but I saw Yamazaki's watch move as he handed me the folded up piece of paper. I looked around the room and saw that nearly everybody was asleep, even the teachers. The committee president was going on about rabbits or something like that. Can't really tell, seeing as I'm temporarily deaf to his toneless droning.

I opened the note.

_So, have you found your peanut butter-covered chocolates with coconuts? Or do you need another handkerchief? –Eriol _

My eyes narrowed, a spur of indignation mixed with embarrassment arousing my mind. I suddenly felt more awake since the beginning of the meeting. My eyes flitted over to the blue-eyed young man, and unsurprisingly he was watching me. His amused look turned into a slight smirk when he saw me look at him.

That jerk. If he thinks for even one second that I'm not going to retaliate for this he's—wait. That's not right.

He _knows_ I'm going to retaliate.

And for some reason, it made me feel... pleased. In a weird way. Oh how fabulous. Eriol Hiiragizawa is making me feel good and warm inside because of the tingles of satisfaction running down my spine caused by the knowledge that he _knows_ what I'm going to do before I even do them.

Bloody great.

With a grim smile I quietly took out a pen and scribbled behind his note.

_I didn't find you as the type that would keep handkerchiefs. It surprises me that you even have another one to spare. How terribly kind of you. However, I must decline your generous offer seeing as I have "found" my PeBuCCC. _

_What will your fan club think when they hear that their idol keeps a stash of dainty handkerchiefs ready for when he makes girls cry?. –Tomoyo Daidouji_

I waited quietly for him to read my message, and watched his expression carefully. He seemed extremely amused, which is not very surprising, considering he's been amused towards me quite often. He was writing something. Then he passed the paper to Kei, who he was sitting behind, who passed it to Syaoran, who was miraculously still awake, and then passed it to Yamazaki, whose shoulder Chiharu seemed to be borrowing. I opened the note casually.

_It surprises me that you even think of me as a certain "type". Seeing as you were generous enough to compliment me, would you be kind enough to explain exactly what kind of "type" you see me as? _

_And by the way, my admirers would only think that I'm a gentleman, which I am, and would love me even more (which they do). –Eriol _

And he wonders why I think he's arrogant? Well, actually, I wouldn't know if he wondered why I thought about anything at all. It's just my own assumption. But then, assumptions can be dangerous... I let my own brand of evil grace my lips as I wrote back. When he got the note and read it, I saw the corners of his own lips twitch, as if he were ready to laugh. This time I knew why he was amused.

_It surprises ME that you'd be curious as to what kind of type I see you as. What does it matter to you? As for my answer... really, I thought you of all people would ask a more intelligent question. Your arrogance not only shows in the way you breathe, but in your words too. You think every female loves you and would throw themselves at your feet, when really, you're not all that great. I therefore put you in the category of 'conceited, popular, jock/prep'. I'm sorry for being stereotypical, but then, you just can't help it. _

_Why did you sign up for the committee anyways? –Tomoyo Daidouji_

Yes, I said, or wrote, all that. I'm kind of daft, aren't I? I shouldn't have written such nice words. I should be more blunt. Come on, Tomoyo, be blunt! Make him feel the pain you're feeling in your tummy right now! Ah, as if I could make him feel that. Perhaps I should just punch him when we're out of this stupid, so-called "meeting". That would make the message pretty clear, right?

_Perhaps you're right. I can't help being conceited, can I? And as for your apology... Well, I'm surprised and grateful that you would even consider saying sorry to me. In fact, I'm so grateful that I'll take you out on a date this Friday, 8 PM at your house. See you then. –Love, Eriol _

_P.S. And I joined this committee so I could be with your lovely self._

In my numb shock, I read the note again. Then I read it over again. And again. And again. _Date._ He said he was going to take me out on a _date_.

Guess what the first thing that came into my mind was?

**This is all a joke**.

Eriol, that sick bastard. He was saying this, all this crap, and smiling like no tomorrow... He was doing all this because it was a trick. A joke. A small part of his plot to bring me down. This was all a joke. He was not being serious.

A small part of my mind argued back. What if he _was_ being serious about the date? Perhaps he was actually changing. And besides, he was very good-looking. Maybe he really was taking interest in me...

But no, he wouldn't just change suddenly. Not in a few days, that is. I was almost positively he didn't like me. Ever since that day—that fatal day—I accidentally dropped ice cream on his ego-bloated head. No. Ever since that day the only way he acknowledged me was through obvious dislike. That was why this was all a hoax. Plus, he was probably taking advantage of his power over me (I was his freaking slave!), gradually confusing me so that I would be even easier to bring down.

Yes, I'm sure of it now. He is messing with my head. He's only interested in plotting my demise and finally humiliating me for good. That's why he's been so nice and courteous. Not like a certain _gentleman_ I met yesterday.

No. Eriol Hiiragizawa would never be interested in _me_.

And so, I didn't bother writing back a reply for the rest of the meeting.

* * *

It's rather ironic that I keep saying the word 'bloody' when I happen to be on IT.

And it's very ironic that a certain blue-eyed jerk is so intent on getting my attention once the eighty-five minute meeting was over.

It's quite funny, actually. For a person to see the great, almighty Eriol Hiiragizawa chasing after a geeky girl (who's munching on PeBuCCC) saying something crazy about needing an answer... They would have to double-check they're mind is in the right place. Bloody hilarious, really.

In order to avoid Mr. Jerk with the smooth dignity I knew I didn't have, I had to leave Sleeping Sakura behind. Last time I checked, Syaoran was trying to wake her up. I think he noticed the Committee President (who was inhaling water like a dying fish) lurking around the oblivious Cherry Blossom. Ah. Romance.

And the mystery of Naoko and Kei has now been solved! Right after the meeting ended, Kei pounced on Naoko yelling, "Give it back!" She'd flown past me, clutching a hardcover book (which I only caught a glimpse of) with something like 'Junior Class Records' written on it. I don't really know why she has it... but where Naoko's involved, it's better not to ask. Anyways.The romance spreads.

Chiharu mysteriously disappeared. So had Yamazaki. I put them both together and _walla_. More lovey-dovey romance. Hmm, I have to ask them when they started going out behind our backs...

Of course, Rika wasn't at the meeting, and Mr. Terada wasn't either, but I had a feeling they were spending some quality time together (mind out of the gutter please). And so it goes on and on...

"Miss Daidouji, I'll go **mad** if you don't give me an answer _right now_!"

And on.

Stupid little bastard. I will never fall for his dirty little tricks. Stupid jerk.

I held my head up high, ignoring his cries (very melodramatic they are) and the curious glances from passing students, and strode determinedly toward the main office, where the groups we would be in charge of at the festival was listed (so the president finally revealed at the last minute). Wiping my mind clear of the trailing Hiiragizawa, I found the list; fervently hoping I was in charge of the Drama section.

"Oh My Lady, why must you torment me so?"

UGH. Will he not go away? Can he not see that I DON'T WANT TO LISTEN TO HIM? Is flinging my long hair in his face not enough of a hint? Why is he so stupid? He's just as bad as that wheezing Committee President!

All this pent up anger and frustration can't be good for my health. But instead of erupting, I kept calm, shut my mouth, and breathed deeply. And ate some more PeBuCCC. I am such a goddess. I should not be a slave. Hiiragizawa should be the slave! To me! Muahahaha! Ahahahahaha! Puahahahahahahaha!...Ahem. Yes.

I found my name at the way bottom because SOMEONE decided to list the names in alphabetical order by FIRST NAME. I mean who does that? I thought it was the _last_ names that count!

But I forgot about it as soon as I saw what I was in charge of. **Tomoyo Daidouji: (Section) Drama **My lips spread into a wide, happy smile as I cheered mentally. That little party stopped when I saw more writing.

**(Work) Actress **

_Actress. Actress. Actress. _I was going to be an ACTRESS! Being an actress meant ACTING! I didn't want to act! I wanted to DESIGN OUTFITS! I was supposed to design the actress' outfit, not BE the freaking actress!

"Well, well... This is certainly interesting." The amused drawl came from behind me and would've scared the crap out of me had I not been preoccupied staring at the list in horror. Hiiragizawa peered at the blasted paper over my shoulder. I could imagine the amused quirk on his lips. Stupid Hiiragizawa. Most likely he was gloating over the stupid assignment I was stuck with, feeling confident that he had an advantage now. My shocked expression turned into a dark scowl, and I steadily glared at that stupid piece of paper that had ruined my life (more like winter).

Sakura and Syaoran's names together (figures) and my spirits lightened a little when I saw they were in charge of the Sports section together. Well, what a coincidence. The two enemies were forced to spend even more time together... and hopefully Syaoran will gain the courage to ask her out (correctly this time!). Chiharu was helping set up a sewing booth for the Crafts section, something she had been signing up for in hopes of making cute animal dolls, though I knew she already had a huge collection at her house. Yamazaki was Vice President of the Committee. Enough said. Naoko was in the Literary section so she could write as many scary horror stories as she wanted. Kei was helping make classic dishes in the Cooking section (which I was definitely going to try out since I heard he was a very good cook).

As I scanned the list, something occurred to me. At first I didn't really notice it, but then I realized someone was missing. Hiiragizawa was STILL behind me, who I ignored, and was humming a little tune that sounded remarkably like Sailormoon. My eyes immediately found what they were searching for.

**Eriol Hiiragizawa: (Section) Drama (Work) Actor **

I screamed, threw my PeBuCCC at his face and died.

...Hehe, just kidding. No, I didn't die. Nor did I scream. But I did throw my PeBuCCC at his grinning face, which was still grinning after the chocolates fell to the ground. I was mortified. Having to be an actress was bad enough. Heck, Hiiragizawa being in the same _section_ was bad enough. But him _acting_ with me?

I was devastated. No wonder he looked so amused. He probably thought it really funny that we happened to share the same job. But I didn't find it funny at all. Really. I didn't. And I don't. Stupid prat of an onion. I hate this! I hate this! So I said so.

"I hate this!" I yelled, frustration clear in my voice that made the secretary look up. I spun around, blinking at his very close body for a few seconds before snapping my head up to glare murderously at him. He was still grinning. No doubt he's laughing inside right now, triumphant that he succeeded in... in... well, succeeded in doing _something_. I wanted to punch his ridiculously handsome face in. Who'd be laughing then, huh?

"You hate this?" he asked, his eyes showing very clear amusement. I wanted to scream at him, tear his hair out, punch him really hard and yell YES, I DID hate this. Then maybe he would understand what I just said _ten seconds ago_. "Tell me," he continued, "what exactly do you hate about _this_? Perhaps you hate your peanut butter-covered chocolates... with coconuts? Or maybe you hate this office room? The colors are quite mismatching..." He trailed off, looking questioningly at me.

He was _mocking_ me. He was making FUN of me. I was not amused.

"I hate _this_," I gritted out, poking his chest hard, "meaning I hate _you_ always making fun of me and acting like you're my superior! And don't think," I went on as he was about to say something, "for one second that you being my master is going to give you an advantage. Because I, for one, won't fall for any of your stupid tricks! Being nice isn't fooling anybody, _especially_ me. And the fact that you're in the same group as I am for the freaking festival is NOT making me happier. So whatever you're trying to pull, Hiiragizawa, stop it, because I won't tolerate any more of your idiocy!" By the time I finished my little speech, my face was redder than Syaoran's could become any day, and my finger was hurting from prodding his very hard chest too long. The secretary was telling us to please shut up and get out of the office. I ignored her.

He was looking at me silently, his blue eyes intent as he studied my red face. I stared back just as hard, not caring that I looked winded. He leaned back and raised an eyebrow, saying, "But I'm not playing any tricks. What makes you think I'm _acting_ nice?"

I blew an irritated sigh, rolling my eyes. "Don't lie. It's obvious you're just acting nice so you can confuse me, and then drop the bomb when I'm least suspecting it! But I won't fall for it because—"

"I'm not planning any tricks," he interrupted. He brushed his hair with a graceful hand and sighed shortly. "I don't know why you're suddenly thinking I'm planning something, because I most certainly am not—"

"Yes you are!"

"No I am not."

"YES YOU ARE!"

"**STUDENTS! GET OUT!"** The secretary bellowed, her face even redder than mine. We both exited without a word. I didn't look at Hiiragizawa as I turned to leave, but he grabbed my arm.

His eyes were not amused when I turned to face him. I found myself wondering why he suddenly had a change of attitude. He gazed at me for a few moments before saying,"Why do you think I'm trying to trick you? I haven't done anything wrong."

Great. Here we go again. I blew another frustrated stream of air. "Don't be disappointed that I found out your little plan," I said coolly. "I may be your slave for the rest of the week, but that doesn't mean I'll listen to _everything_ you say. So don't try to convince me otherwise." I was ready to turn to go again, when he pulled me back. My anger rose as I tried to pull away. "Let go!"

"Wait. Is this because I asked you out?" His words made me stop. Did he even _consider _that a question? I thought he was supposed to be the 'wise' guy here. Why would he even ask me something like that?

I decided to humor him. "No. Of course it isn't because you asked me out. The fact that my rival who's supposed to make my life a 'living hell' is suddenly being nice to me and asking me out is _not_ the cause of it." I could see that he knew I was being sarcastic, because he lifted an eyebrow.

After a long while of uncomfortable staring (on his part) he finally said, "Well, if I may speak bluntly..." His passive face slowly adopted an overly amused expression that almost seemed to be smirking. I was on my guard in an instant. "I thought asking you out would make you **happy**. After all..." I didn't have time to react when he leaned down, his nose nearly touching mine. "...I know you've been dying to have this chance with me." His head moved next to mine as he whispered into my ear. "...You know, it makes sense and all... being my... _slave_. You should be happy that you're going out with THE Eriol Hiiragizawa."

By the time my senses came back to my empty mind, he was stepping away from me, the smirk still on his face. Feelings that were much like anger, rage, fire, jalapeno peppers; the likes... They rushed through my veins and pounded into my head so that I almost saw red.

I looked him straight in the eye and stepped toward him, making sure that he had clear view of my face. "Eriol Hiiragizawa..." I smiled a little coldly at him. "You may think you're perfect. You may think you're flawless: an immortal gift to all women. You might even think you're _better_ than everyone in this world. But not in _my_ world. Because I know what's under you're cool guy act. I know you're not perfect. You're not flawless, you're not an immortal gift to women and you're _not_ in any way better than _anybody_. Because you're **human**. And you're wrong. Asking me out... doesn't make me happy. After all..." I leaned forward boldly so that our noses were nearly touching. He watched me intently, remaining silent. I could see those deep, dark eyes of his that hid so many things from the world... things that even I was curious about sometimes. But I knew that he wouldn't be hiding his reaction when he heard what I was going to say next.

"I have a boyfriend."

His expression didn't disappoint me this time. Score for me.

And with that, I turned around and left.

* * *

_She stared out the window, looking at nothing in particular. Her reddish, brown eyes seemed distant. When she sighed, her long strands of red hair fluttered a bit before settling in place. The sound of a door opening made her snap out of her trance, and she turned to see a handsome young man in a suit that made his light brown hair stand out walking towards her. She smiled slightly and met him with a warm hug. _

"_It's been a long time." She smiled as they let go. _

"_Yes, it has been... Kaho. So," he smiled, "I heard you were getting married soon." She nodded and motioned for him to sit down on the couches. "How's Eriol Hiiragizawa?" His deep hazel eyes didn't miss the glimpse of sadness in her eyes. _

_She sighed, this time with more feeling. "Well, that's what I wanted to discuss with you..." She looked down at her hands for a moment before looking up at him. Her lips spread into a wry smile. "I have a favor to ask of you." _

_He raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything as she continued. "...Eriol is a very wise person, and so mature for his age. He's the kind of person that knows the answers to almost everything, you see... always thinking so deeply. He's a very wise, young man. But that's just it. He's young. And so, I'm afraid that... he might not be able to cope with emotions that are so strong. I... don't know if he's all right." She took a breath and then smiled at him. "Will you help me?" _

_He looked at her for a while before replying, "You rejected... his love for you?" She met his eyes sadly._

"_That's just it. His love for me is... not what I can return." _

_He gazed down at the coffee table for a long while, thinking deeply. She turned to look out the window again, waiting for his reply. When he finally replied, she was relieved at what he had to say. "I'll help you. I'll... go to him... to make sure he isn't hurt... **deeply**." He looked at her. "If he isn't happy... in one way or another... Should I help him to recover...Kaho?"_

_She sighed once more and nodded. "Please try the best you can. I still care for him. Just not in the way he wants me to." Her face turned expressionless as she smiled gently and rose. "Thank you so much. You don't know how much this means to me." He took his cue and rose also, smiling. _

"_Yes, yes, I think I do. After all, being heart-broken isn't something one must experience more than once. Once is all right... but no more." He paused and blinked. "But... Is he in England?" _

_The red-haired lady shook her head. "No. He's... in Tomoeda." _

"_Ah, I see... His old school town?" _

"_Yes, that's right. Well, then, I'll see you in a while. And thank you again. You're doing so much for me. Thank you... Len" _

"_That's all right. After all, what are cousins for? See you, Kaho."

* * *

_

I was NOT being too harsh. I was not being harsh or too mean at all. After all, what I said back there, nearly yelling at his face while revealing such a cold side of me... it's the truth. And I can't take back what I said. Even if I did, I wouldn't want to. It would serve him right. That bastard, thinking he's king of the world. He has no right to put down people like he did to me just then... as if he's superior or something. No, I was not being harsh at all, whatsoever. I was absolutely right in knocking him down a peg or two... or ten.

...So why am I sitting next to the phone, feeling guilty while clutching Eriol Hiiragizawa's phone number on a piece of paper?

Argh, he must be just messing with my head again. He's been doing that ever since we first met...

**: Back when I first met Eriol Hiiragizawa :**

_Wow. _

_WOW. _

_He's really... handsome. _

_Wow. Wow-how-how. _

_Those are really thin glasses. _

_And those eyes behind it... they're really dark, and deep and oh so..._

_Blue. _

_He's a really blue sort of guy. _

"_Black... I'm a black kind of guy, Miss Daidouji." _

_Yeah. That's what he said. I guess it sort of threw me off (mentally) because I never said a word about him being a blue guy. But, the way he said it was sort of... meaningful. As if they were important. _

_As if _anything_ he says is important. But back then, back when I first met him and his deep, blue eyes and mysterious, charming smile, I thought..._

_How nice and confusing this person was. _

**: End of my little flashback :**

Yeah. So. See how much my mind changed from back then? Yup. Long-time-ago memories are a real clue, aren't they? Yeah... so.

I'm staring at the phone. What am I going to do?

"_...You know, it makes sense and all... being my... _slave..._"_ His taunting words came back to me, echoing loudly in my head. I glared balefully, feeling that familiar anger I felt whenever I imagined that bastard's smirk. Hah! No, it didn't make sense at all! He never made sense. And he doesn't now. He honestly enjoys confusing me. He likes the feeling of control he has over my awkward vulnerability. _"...You should be happy that you're going out with THE Eriol Hiiragizawa."_ Ugh! Puh-lease! As if! I wouldn't even _consider_ going out with that creepy-blue-eyed jerk. Maybe in once-upon-a-time ago, perhaps then I would consider going out with him because I KNEW he wasn't planning and scheming on taking me down once we started getting all mushy-gushy. But not now. Not today. Not EVER. Besides... I already told him I had a boyfriend. Ah shoot.

With that, and a fierce shake of my head, I angrily stuffed the piece of paper in my pocket and stalked upstairs, not bothering to greet the pleasant cook in the kitchen on the way. (Once David understood what kind of pain I was going through, he forgave me and went back to liking me. Hooray.)As soon asI got to my room, I went to my desk where a certain business card was lying in all its (dusty) glory-ness and picked it up, beginning to feel a little more nervous.

Len Muraki. The brown-haired, hazel-eyed prince of my dreams. I'm willing to wager all my supply of PeBuCCC (not really) that he's indeed smart, strong and sexy. Well, he's already sexy... And I'm pretty sure he's smart, judging by the way he was so courteous and intelligent that day I met him. And his body looked well shaped. Not as lean as Hiiragizawa, nor as tall... But what does that have to do with anything? Nothing at all. Absolutely nothing. Yeah. I have no clue what I'm talking about, that's it... Yeah. I shouldn't compare with _Hiiragizawa_.

I punched the numbers into my cell phone and waited as the dial rang, biting my lip nervously. Finally, I heard someone answer, "Hello?" The voice was unmistakably deep and so masculine and... so prince-like.

"Hello? Len Muraki?" I asked, my heart beating loudly.

"Yes, this is he." The voice sounded a bit curious now. I took in a deep breath. It's now or never, Tomoyo.

"Well, um, this is Tomoyo Daidouji. Um, I ran into you the other day in front of the library...literally. I... do you remember...?" I trailed off, wincing as a silence followed. He was obviously trying to remember that day, and wasn't getting a wake-up call. This was a bad idea. I knew it was a bad idea! Oh, well, actually, not really... But still. He obviously forgot all about that stupid little girl that didn't know where she was going and nearly knocked him over. What was I thinking? It's not as if he was serious about seeing me again.

"Oh yes! The beautiful lady that called me 'charming'. What can be your reason for bestowing me such a pleasurable call?"

Or, you know, I can be wrong. And I know how many times _that_ happens to me. So, really, I shouldn't be surprised or blushing, or feeling like I just won the lottery ticket (which I never have, surprise, surprise). I stuttered for a minute before answering, "O-oh, well, um... I thought I might... thank you again for... for... er, for saving me that time... um, yeah..." I'll never get a boyfriend at this rate. Never. He's bound to think, 'Man, this girl is really **boring'** or something.

To my utter surprise (and relief) he laughed a very pleasant laugh and said, "Oh, that? No, it was merely pure luck that I managed to catch you. And, you know, quite literally at that." I could feel my blush growing steadier by the minute. He was such a gentleman! I could squeal with joy right now, but I'm not. I wanted to make a good impression. Of course. No need to refuse this opportunity. He was a better catch than _Hiiragizawa _any day!

"Excuse me?" I blinked as his voice broke through my thoughts. "Did you say... 'Hiiragizawa'?" Oh. No. I did not just say that out loud! Hmm, it seems that I did. Ah. How embarrassing. I shouldn't be mentioning any _GUY_ names when I'm trying to impress my Prince Charming. "Miss Daidouji?"

"Oh! Um, it was nothing! Er, yeah... hehe." Wow, that sure was a great cover-up, Tomoyo. Why don't you go and be an FBI while you're at it? We all know how much _skill_ you have in that area.

"Okay..." His voice sounded unsure, and I cringed. Great. Fabulous. I was not scoring any brownie points with this guy. I needed to sharpen up my act if I was going to impress him. He needed to know that Tomoyo Daidouji was an elegant, charming, suave woman with the brains to back it up. But then he spoke before I could think."Well, Miss Daidouji, what do you say that we meet sometime? Say, tomorrow during lunch? I have break during that time. We could eat together." Oh my goodness. Did he just ask me out? He just invited me to a DATE! I, Tomoyo Daidouji, got Prince Charming to go on a date with me! YES!

"Oh, yes. I have break during that time also." My voice was remarkably calm and extremely cool (as in, popular cool) and I was delighted to hear an extra hint of smoothness. It was so perfect!

"Great! Then I'll meet you at the new café at 12:30 PM." Oh yeah, honey, I'm meeting you then. Wait for me! "Until then. Good night, Miss Daidouji."

I smiled and replied, "Good night, Len."

Awkward silence.

_HOW CAN MY MOUTH DO THIS TO ME?_ I just called him by his first name without even ASKING him if I could! As if that weren't mortifying enough, I had to say it to a complete _stranger_! I was utterly HUMILIATING!

"Um... I'm very sorry...er, I mean..." I finally said timidly. Can anyone say, **_pathetic_**?

"Oh no, it's okay... Well, good night." His voice sounded a little surprised. I don't blame him. I don't blame him at all. I totally blame myself. It's my entire fault. I dejectedly flipped my phone shut and fell back on my huge bed. I groaned, closing my eyes. Why did I do that? He probably thought I was weird and conceited and already latching on to him. Though he wouldn't be too far from thinking so.

"Why..." I moaned soulfully. "Why am I so stupid?" Suddenly my phone rang, blasting its loud, little tune into my ear. I jumped. Stupid little piece of...! I was in the middle of mourning! Did it have no sympathy? ...It was Sakura. I fumbled with opening it and managed to say, "Hey—". That was all I was able to say because then she started to blurt out some blur of nonsense that I seriously had no clue about and she wouldn't let me speak until she ran out of breath (which was, like, five minutes later).

I heard her sigh and inhale so she could start ranting on again. I held up a hand that was invisible to her. "Wait, Sakura! So, exactly... What are you talking about?"

"Tomoyo, it's a disaster! I don't know how people got the idea that I would even THINK about doing it... It's wrong! It's so disgusting that I wouldn't—"

"Wait, wait, _what's_ disgusting?"

"Me kissing Syaoran!"

Oh. Oh ho ho ho... Now I see. I smiled nervously, picking at my blanket as I said, "Oh. _Oh..._ **Syaoran**, eh?" Yeah. That's it. Bring the conversation around so that it's not ME who has anything to do with it. I could imagine Sakura's face turning bright red over the phone.

"Th-that isn't the point! And **Tomoyo**!" I blinked at her sharp tone.

"Uh, what?"

"You wouldn't have anything to do with all this, would you?"

Aw, crap. Shoot. Darn it. Damn. Bloody IT. Perhaps Sakura will be merciful and NOT strangle me to death...?

What? Is hopeful wishing not allowed on my part either?

"**Tomoyo!"

* * *

**

**A/N: This was a little long, right? If it was... then YES! I have achieved my ultimate goal to now start writing longer chapters. I decided that reading short chapters is a waste of time, so I set a goal to write longer chapters! Neat, huh? Pretty dedicated of me, huh? Yeah, I thought so too. You can give me a little comment or something and tell me exactly what you think! Now isn't that fantastic? Thank you all very much! **


	10. Is the Past really past?

A/N: Uh oh. It's coming. I can feel it in the air... it's tense and ready to strike. Even in the supply stores... Office Depot...

_School. _

The ending of summer vacation as well as the beginning of a fresh new school year, meaning... us authors and readers don't have as much free time to frolic happily in world as we did during the summer. Thus, the marking of the end of a magnificent era... I have no idea what I mean by that, actually. So if you read my nonsense, thank you, and I'm sorry. Please enjoy the... 10th Chapter! And yet another beginning of an era...

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I don't own Card Captors. Got it?

* * *

**Chapter Ten: Is the Past really past?

* * *

**

**Eriol's POV**

_**Jealousy**. That envious feeling that surges angrily through one's body when they feel a strong desire of wanting something that another person has... a resentful awareness of another's advantage. It's a feeling... a sin... that shouldn't be embraced very often. Jealousy is a feeling that throws off one's practical sense of good against bad. It is something that humans like us don't need..._

_But that's what I felt when those words came out of her mouth. _

"_I... have a boyfriend." _

_**Jealousy. **_

_For the first time in a long time, I felt the overwhelming presence of jealousy consume my entire self. It reminded me... because I, too, need to be reminded over and over... that I'm human. It showed me what a helpless human I was. _

_It made me sick. _

_I felt pathetic for feeling such disgusting feelings. I'm far from the perfect being everyone accuses me of. And yet... the only consolation I have is that _she_ knows I'm not perfect. She may point it out in a hateful way, but she still understands me better than most of this entire world. It's that knowledge that keeps me _**calm**_. I'm still the "cool" Eriol Hiiragizawa—the one that knows everything. The _wise_ one. _

_I didn't let her see my true reaction. She saw the shock on my face, which revealed that I didn't know she had a boyfriend. True...but I still hid my jealousy. I'm good at that... masking my true feelings. Lying. Hiding. She's right. I'm nothing special. At least she has the honesty of letting her heart clear to everyone. Though she keeps her secrets... At least she has every intention of making people happy. _

_Sick. I'm sick of myself. Why do I keep thinking I have an advantage? That anything and everything I do has some sort of ulterior motive that will raise me above everyone else? I'm not acting like an idiot on purpose and trying to goad her into paying more attention to me. No. That's not it, because... I realized that I'm only human. _

_I'm falling for her. And I'm mistaking my foolish actions as wise moves that will ultimately lead me to my goal. _

_I want her to want me. As pathetic as that sounds, it's very much true. And that's not even it..._

_I want Tomoyo Daidouji to love me. _

_Just as I love her.

* * *

_

**Tomoyo's POV**

"Go away!"

"NO! Give me a second chance! Let me explain—"

"I don't want any of you're explanations! I don't need to know why you chose to sleep with that… that _slut_ behind my back and lie to my face about it! Just go away! Leave me alone!"

"Rhea—"

**SLAP.** "Don't 'Rhea' me, _Kent_! I said leave me ALONE!"

I watched silently at the screen as Rhea stormed off, leaving a shocked Kent clutching his red cheek to stand alone, staring after the girl with a sad, mourning expression. It reminded me of a sad puppy, that expression. Frankly, it made me sick. "Huh," I muttered, grabbing a handful of popcorn from the huge bowl in my lap. "Serves him right. He was a jerk to mess around with her behind her back. Stupid bastard. Stupid _men_. All males have no sense of humanity! Stupid bastard of a jerk. Pshaw! MEN." I moodily stuffed my face of my recent replacement of PeBuCCC (the kitchen ran out of supply and I found that popcorn was a close enough substitute for those yummy, peanut-buttery goodness) and flicked a corn at the screen where there was a close-up of Kent's pathetic face as he whispered some nonsense about his lost love. Hah, take _that_ you cheating piece of dirt!

I wasn't in the best of moods, to say the least. I was still angry with Hiiragizawa (when have I never been, besides those random moments in time when he confused me silly?) and now Sakura was mad at me. Well, not exactly mad, more like...

Breathing-fire-raging-mad. Yeah. That's more like it.

It turned out that what I saw in the library between Sakura and Syaoran was... well... Agh, it's too embarrassing to say it. Okay, fine. Well... they weren't kissing. No, they weren't kissing. I was wrong. I was completely wrong. I had made the wrong assumptions and accused them of kissing. Yes, I know. I'm stupid. I mean you don't just go around and mistaken people for _kissing_, albeit very intimately at that. Kissing is an action that is so intimate, so emotional, and... and... so _personal_ that you can't just go about making mistakes about it! And I made a mistake.

...But it's not my fault that they just happened to look like they were kissing! How would I know that Syaoran had something in his eye and was crying because it hurt so bad, and Sakura was just trying to get a closer look at it to blow it out? Yeah, that's what I thought. I _wouldn't_ know. Of course, I could have just stayed a little longer and saw that they weren't kissing, because Sakura yelled, "I got it!"

...But it's still not my fault! And I tried to convince Sakura of that over the phone, but she wouldn't listen. No matter how many times I said I didn't even spread that rumor (well, not on purpose) she just wouldn't listen. Naturally, I would have to talk to Chiharu (how did _she_ spread the rumor?), but I didn't have to tell Sakura that. I _said_ I was sorry. To be honest, I was trying to convince myself that it wasn't my fault, but, well, we all know how well _that's_ going. Note how I'm still sulking and chucking corn at the screen where Kent was now on his knees, trying to beg Rhea to listen to him. I was sulking because Sakura was mad at me and Hiiragizawa was really making my head hurt.

The only upside to this was that I had a date with Len Muraki tomorrow at lunch. No, correction(s): I had a lunch meeting with Len Muraki _today_ at twelve thirty in the afternoon, which was about twelve hours from now. Oh, and I invited my mother to watch a chick flick movie with me tonight. At midnight. Yes, yes, a mother-daughter outing... er, at home. Except, she wasn't here yet, meaning she was late. Probably because of some extra long meeting with a stubborn company president. I'm glad I don't have to put up with that kind of torture... yet. Mom and I were still discussing who would inherit the company after she retired, seeing as I was an only child and a woman at that, and she didn't want to force any decisions onto me. Yeah, if she were any other person she would just make me become the next President of the Daidouji Corporation without consulting me. But my Mom's nice and loves me, so I get a choice. Love, love!

"Tomoyo? I'm home!" My mother's tired voice came from the hallway, and I scrambled up to meet her. I opened my door and hugged her just as she was about to come in. "Whoa, sweetie. How can you still be so energetic this late at night?" Energetic? Me? She stifled a yawn and rubbed her sleepy, blue eyes, patting my shoulder. I smiled, guiding her to my room. She was so cute when she didn't act all professional and business-like and all fire-breathing-eyes-flashing-boss-lady-like. Of course, I'm not saying this from experience. It's just that I saw her yelling at a lot of lazy bodyguards over at the company building and they totally cowered before her. I hope Sakura's not taking any pointers from her.

My loving mother sighed and fell back on my king-size bed, letting her purse flop carelessly on the ground. I sat down besides her, asking, "Was there a meeting?" Normally my energetic mother would be bustling about, fixing up a quick cup of tea down in the kitchens before going to sleep. She would stop by my room if she was early enough, and talk with me before saying goodnight. She wouldn't drag herself into my room and collapse down on my bed, nearly asleep like she is right now. Not unless something happened at the company that was particularly stressful.

"Yes," she nodded, yawning. "I can't believe the nerve of those people. They think they own the world... flashing those shiny cards and boasting about their stupid companies. Particularly one guy... The President of that game company or something... what's it called... Mirror? Yeah. What a jerk. He thinks I should marry him and merge our companies together so we can create 'the most ultimate company'... huh, sounds pretty crappy to me." She sighed. I gaped at her, blinking with all my might. Someone actually had the guts to propose to my mother? THE Sonomi Daidouji? The official dragon lady with a fiery temper? The woman with the army of bodyguards? Someone wanted to _marry_ her? It sounds pretty mean of me to be so shocked, but to be honest, I've never really thought of my mother as a wife. I mean, she's a great mother, and a very good daughter, and a spectacular cousin (to Sakura's mother) but it's been so long since she was a wife. After all, my father passed away when I was only one and a half years old.

Besides, Mom's, like, practically Ms. Independent. Only with a 'Mrs.'

Someone I'd like to be when I got older.

She continued, keeping her eyes closed. "Then he had the nerve to mention _you_." I blinked. Me? Who? "That stupid Mirror President suggested that if I didn't want to marry, then you, as the current heiress, should marry _his_ son." This I understood. Anything to do with arranged marriages I have no trouble understanding. And I felt immediate outrage. "But of course I wouldn't marry you off against your will. There was enough of that in history. Besides, his son's like thirty five years old."

I gagged mentally. Thirty five? That was twice my age! I'd rather marry someone like... like... _Hiiragizawa_ than that kind of guy!

...Or not. The thought of the blue-eyed young man being by my side for all eternity made me want to... run away. Run away to an island far away. Extremely far away.

I sighed and placed the sleeping figure of Sonomi Daidouji, my dear, President-of-a mother, more comfortably on the bed, turned off the television, switched off the lights, and went out of the room. Tomorrow was a late morning for Mom, so she could sleep in for as long as she wanted. She would need the rest too.

Come to think of it, where was I going to sleep? Heh, not in the living room. I'd just steal my mom's room, then.

* * *

_**Sonomi Amamiya/Daidouji POV **_

_That day... I was angry. I was angry, pissed, enraged, jealous, furious, livid, fire breathing dragon mad..._

_I was sad. _

_...so sad..._

_"...What are you going to do now?" _

_What am I going to do...? What else was I going to do but stand by and watch over my Nadeshiko being happy with **him...** Kinomoto...? I had nothing else to do in my life because my life _was_ Nadeshiko. She was everything to me... my reason to be born, my reason to live, my reason to be happy, my reason to die... I was her protector. And so I lived for **her**. _

_There was nothing else for me to do. _

_"Are you going to wallow in your self-pity?" _

_Of course not. I would never pity myself. I have too much respect for that. However... sacrificing my life for the one I love... and then drowning in sadness... that's not pity. That's selfishness. Greed. It's shameful. I should be _happy_. And I am. I'm **happy** for my cousin. I would do anything for her... because her happiness is my happiness. _

_"So why don't you smile?" _

_I do. I smile... inside. Whenever I see Nadeshiko smiling so happily, I smile with all my heart. I smile for her. You see? I would do anything for her. I would even smile..._

_Anything._

_"Will you love again... for her?" _

_...Love... Again...? Yes... Yes, she will want that for me... She'll want me to love again. She's kind-hearted like that. But if there isn't someone to love... Then I know she won't ask. I know that it's impossible for me to love again. _

_"You can love me." _

_...What...? _

_What do you mean...?_

_...Why...? How...? _

_"Because I can love you." _

_You... could do that... for me? _

_"I love you, Sonomi."_

_That day... you made me happy. Your eyes were so warm... such a warm amethyst. When you took my hands... I felt that warmth spread into my heart. And your lips... I knew that I could do anything with you. Not only for you... but together, with you. _

_I knew Nadeshiko would be happy for me... too. _

_And for you... Erik Daidouji... _

_I love you.

* * *

_

**Tomoyo's POV**

I woke up with a start.

Something happened.

Something incredibly important.

Something... _good_.

Like, peanut butter-covered chocolates with coconuts good.

It was early morning and the less-than bright sun had not risen yet. Never the less, I bounded out of my bed and then blinked, realizing it was not my bed. Then I remembered that I'd stolen Mom's room after she stole my own. Hmm, her bed was comfy. I'll have to steal her mattress some time...

Anyway. I jumped around the spacious room, giggling giddily and smiling at the mirrors that smiled back at me. Something good had happened and I was happy. _Beyond_ happy.

_IT..._ has been vanquished!

Yes! Haha! I was free! I was victorious! I was a WOMAN! Rejoice and beware... of me... because... because... Rr... _**RRAAAR**_!

It looks like my feminine pride level has returned. And that's a good thing, because I'm— GASP! I'm eating lunch with Len Muraki today!

And so another bout of jumping and giggling commences. After a fifth round about the room, I halted and took out my cell phone, which was miraculously still in my PJ pocket. I just _had_ to call Sakura about this. Maybe she could come over and we could dress up together! I could tell her how handsome Mr. Muraki is and how much better than a certain _someone_ he can be.

Or not. Flashbacks of the phone call last night and how furious Sakura was when she heard a certain little _rumor_ lowered my spirits a bit. It reminded me of something. I think I need to have a little talk with Chiharu. Not only about the _rumors_, but the tiny connection she has with Yamazaki.

Just then the door opened and my mom stumbled in, her eyes in a daze and her normally perfect hair limp and ruffled. She didn't look at anything else but the bed, and she collapsed onto it with a sigh. Then she said gruffly, "Mornin' T'moyo..." and fell asleep. I only smiled and crept quietly out of the room so as not to wake my slumbering mother up.

And now... I am on a mission.

* * *

"Sakura, I'm—"

"No."

"No, I'm really—"

"Nuh uh."

"Come on, I'm s—"

"Nope."

"Please, I'm really—"

"Uh uh."

"Sakura, I won't—"

"No way."

"Hello Syaoran!"

"…"

Well, at least _that_ got her to be quiet.

I went to school early, hoping to catch Sakura. The moment I saw her, I pounced on her, ready to apologize like I never did, which is incorrect because I apologized most profusely last night. However, the mission wasn't proving to be very successful, obviously, seeing as my cousin is not being cooperative. I watched amusedly at the Cherry Blossom as she turned red, seeing Syaoran walking towards us. I noted that he came alone. No friends. No fans. No entourage. No poodle. Nothing. Just him. Not too bad of a start when trying to woo a girl.

The tall, brown-haired guy had a different sort of aura about him as he walked unsurely towards us. I frowned. This was interesting. He wasn't even smirking. His eyes kept glancing around nervously (nervous?) and he didn't seem to want to be noticed, which was near impossible because nearly everybody looked at him as he walked past. Sigh. Popularity is so overrated.

He nodded at me in acknowledgement, and then turned to face his slave for the week, apparently not caring if I was there or not. I wondered briefly where Hiiragizawa was, but then brushed it aside, not wanting to be disturbed from this rare moment between my cousin and her rival. Syaoran took a deep breath and greeted the honey-haired girl, "Hey."

She had switched to her 'I-really-don't-like-this-guy-so-I'm-going-to-act-cold-and-impassive' act, nodding back stiffly despite the pink in her cheeks.

"Uh..." he uttered, clearly not knowing what to say. "Um... well... uh, people are starting to... uh, talk about... us." Oh my... well, well, what's this I see? Syaoran Li is actually starting to _blush_. And around the Cherry Blossom none the less.

"I've heard," Sakura replied neutrally. She gave me a glance and sighed shortly. I only smiled innocently. Syaoran didn't notice the exchange and nodded, running a hand through his messy hair. His cheeks were steadily turning red.

"So, er... I think it would be better if... you know... we just play along with _them_. The rumors, you know... and, well... maybe it'll all die down," he suggested in a not very suggestive tone. He looked extremely nervous. Sakura's emerald eyes narrowed. I stifled a giggle, knowing where this was all going.

"What are you getting at, Li?" she asked suspiciously. Humph, apparently she wasn't getting any news flash. He sighed, looking around as his face turned redder. I watched him closely, anticipating his answer.

"**Let's go out**."

Ooh. Straight forward, isn't he? I mentally cheered for the guy. When I looked at Sakura, my party died. The look on her face was a mix of shock, disbelief, anger, confusion, embarrassment, and... oh, is that a flash of happiness I see? Well, at any rate, I didn't think she was going to give him an answer any time soon...

"Fine."

Never mind.

Syaoran and I blinked at her in surprise, but he recovered swiftly and nodded. "Meet me at the new café tonight at 7 PM." When Sakura nodded calmly, he turned to me (which was totally unexpected) and said, "Can I speak with you?" I nodded dumbly and let him lead me away. I was about to apologize as a desperate attempt to Sakura, but the words froze in my mouth when a familiar blue-eyed guy walked up to her. I watched as he talked to her, smiling pleasantly. I only stopped looking back when Syaoran stopped.

Uh... We were in the middle of a clump of bushes and trees. What exactly did he want to _talk_ about?

He sighed, looking at the ground. "Daidouji, I know this is probably weird of me, but I need your help." I blinked. Well... this was _really_ unexpected. But more than anything, I wanted to know why Hiiragizawa was talking to Sakura. Was he asking her if I really had a boyfriend? Damn. I knew it was careless of me to just say that. Now he's going to find out I lied and I won't be able to look him in the eye for the rest of my life. Not that I did a very good job of that in the first place. "Hello? Daidouji?" I broke out of my daze as Syaoran waved a hand in front of my eyes.

"Uh...what? What did you say?" I asked, a little out of it.

He shifted uncomfortably. "Well... Can you come with us to the café tonight?" Whoa. Whoa! Is he asking me to come to their _date_? But... that would ruin the whole idea! There was no _third_ person at a date. Before I could inform him of this he continued, "I sort of need help... you know, I need to know what to... _say_." He ran a hand through his hair. I started to understand. He wanted me to help him grab Sakura's interest. Jeez, about time!

The inner matchmaker inside of me sparked to life.

However... "Of course I'll help," I said amiably. I smiled when he relaxed visibly. "But..." He immediately stiffened, staring at me. "I don't think I can actually be with you guys... I mean, Sakura will think it's weird and..." Hint, hint.

He quickly said, "That's okay! You see, I thought, maybe... you know, you used to follow Sakura around back then when we were capturing cards, and I thought you could... kind of... follow us without us seeing you." My surprised expression didn't escape his notice. He knew what I was thinking.

He was asking me to _spy_ on them! I mean I was going to do it anyways, but to actually be asked to do it... and by _Syaoran Li_, never the less!

"Okay," I agreed, smiling. Then I had a flash of inspiration. "Oh... actually, why don't you meet me at my house tonight at 6:30. I have the **perfect** idea." My smile turned a mischievous. Syaoran blinked.

"Uh... all right," he said, looking nervously at me. I didn't blame him. I was probably freaking him out by my unfamiliar switch of personality. I even let out a cackle, just for fun. "Um, I'll be going then..." he said, turning around quickly.

"Wait," I commanded, holding up my hand. He halted, his face a little fearful. Muah ha hah! Fear me! Bow before me! "Before I help you, I need you to tell me something." I smiled widely, showing my teeth. I think I just saw him gulp. "Do you like Sakura?"

Dum, dum, dummm... And the final answer is...!

Syaoran scowled at me, kicking the dirt a little. "Yes," he muttered. His face immediately burned red. I cackled, loudly this time, triumphant that I got him to finally admit he liked my cousin. This was fantastic. Now I could make plans to bring the two together... ah, it's just like the old days when we were in elementary school! Me, following them around with my video ca...

..._No. _

"WHAT! The brat _likes_ Sakura? You've got to be kidding me!" I was brought out of my thoughts by the voice. Syaoran and I blinked, looking around for the familiar speaker. The voice undeniably belonged to the sun guardian's... "Please tell me that was a joke! He can't possibly be in love with her _again_! I mean, him and her... holding hands? Ew! Yuck!" We both looked down and saw the golden plush-toy like Kero gagging on the ground between our feet. Instantly, Syaoran picked up the false form of the guardian by his tail. "Hey!" Kero looked into the narrowed eyes of the 'brat' he was complaining about.

"What the hell are you doing here?" the brown-haired guy fumed, shaking the golden tiger/something-like-that hard. Kero bit his finger and Syaoran released him, yelling in pain. The small animal sniffed and flew onto my shoulder.

"Really, what are you doing here?" I asked him as he brushed his fur huffily.

"Well, Sakura said I couldn't have sweets for the next year, and of course, I couldn't survive for that long, so I snuck into her bag where she packed her chocolate cake." Kero smiled dreamily with drool hanging from his mouth as he fantasized about the cake. I tried not to think what had become of the poor cake. "Anyways, that's not important!" Kero waved the matter aside with his tiny paw. "What's this I hear about liking Sakura? Don't tell the brat _still_ has the hots for her! That's just sad!"

Syaoran glared fiercely at him, nursing his finger. "Shut up, plushie! At least I don't have dreams about _cake_! You really need to get a life!"

The insulted 'plushie' danced in rage on my shoulder. Hmm, now that I noticed, Kero was standing on my right shoulder. Hehe. How ironic. "Hey! I'm on my _second_ life, brat! And if you call me plushie one more time I'll show you my true form!" Hastily, so that a fight wouldn't break out on school grounds, I pulled Kero down from the air and told Syaoran, "_Please_ don't argue with him anymore. Look, be at my house by 6:30, all right?" I didn't wait for an answer as I took Kero and placed him in my back, leaving the zipper open a little. "Come on, Kero. We need to bring you back to Sakura."

I walked to class because it was almost time for school to start, and because Sakura was probably there. Syaoran followed me, grumbling about stupid toy animals and freaky best friends. When I got to the classroom doorway, I saw Sakura... chatting with Hiiragizawa. I froze, causing Syaoran to bump into my back, crushing Kero who let out a strangled yelp.

Sakura knew that voice. She lived with it for _years_; I'd be surprised if she didn't recognize it by now. She whipped her head around and looked at Syaoran and me. It seemed Hiiragizawa heard it too, because he turned around also. When his eyes met mine I looked away, knowing something bad would happen if I let him look into the 'windows of my soul'.

"Hey, what's the hold up?" I turned my head and saw over Syaoran's shoulder a line of students. Kei Inasu and Yamazaki were behind us. I quickly scooted into the class, sitting beside Sakura after letting Hiiragizawa get up. As the rest of the class filed in, I saw Kei go to the teacher. Why was he in here? He didn't have this class first period. When I turned to carefully take my backpack off, I saw Hiiragizawa still standing behind me. Why was _he_ in here?

I felt someone nudge me. Sakura was trying to get my attention. "Tomoyo, I heard Kero's voice!" she hissed, glancing furtively at my backpack. I smiled wryly and opened the bag a little. We both peeked in and saw the golden bunch of fur look up, a guilty look on his face. His cheeks were puffed from the bag of extra PeBuCCC I stuffed in my backpack. Hiiragizawa snorted in amusement behind us.

Sakura was far from amused. "So you're the one who ate my cake!" she accused furiously. Kero quailed under his mistress' glare and chuckled nervously, crumbs from the disgusting snack (when I'm not on IT those peanut-butter-covered chocolates with coconuts are never within my sight) flying from his mouth. Great. Now I had to clean out my bag over winter break. "Kero," Sakura continued sternly, "you're not getting any sweets from me for _two_ years." With that she zipped up my bag, muffling Kero's indignant yells.

"Class," our teacher called out. We turned to face her. Kei was standing at the front and holding a sheet of paper. "Your President will be telling when the Committee groups are going to be held, so pay attention."

I, for one, paid close attention. I'd almost forgotten about the Committee. Now the prospect of actually working alongside Hiiragizawa increased my dislike of him (if it were possible). Speaking of him, he was now standing beside the auburn-haired President (since when did he get there?), who had started to list off the meetings.

"The sports section will be meeting in the main gym tomorrow after school. Crafts people will be meeting at the member's own houses, so decide the routine today at the library. Drama section, there will be rehearsal tomorrow after school. Refreshments will be provided for so you won't get hungry." Kei grinned quite cutely at the class, causing many girls to sigh appreciatively. Sakura and I raised our eyebrows. "The Cooking section will..."

So the drama people are meeting tomorrow, huh? I tightened my lips and leaned back in my seat. I was really regretting signing up for the Committee. Not that I had a _choice_ in the first place. When I glanced at Hiiragizawa, he was staring at me with unreadable blue eyes. I quickly looked away and busied myself with twirling my pencil, unwilling to have anything to do with him at the moment. "Hey," I heard a whisper, and looked down at where Kero's head was poking out of my bag. There was a frown on his face. "Isn't that the Hiiragizawa kid? Clow's reincarnation?" Sakura merely glared, still not in good terms with him. I nodded. "Hmm, I sense something different about him. Why is he so depressed?"

Before I had a chance to question him, Sakura quickly shoved his head back into the bag, whispering, "People will see you if you keep talking!" He muttered under his breath and sulked in my bag. Then Sakura turned to me with curious eyes. "Tomoyo, why are you dressed up?"

Oh. So I normally wasn't dressed properly, was I? Was that it? Huh? Huh? I tossed my hair back and replied quietly, "I have a... meeting at lunch." She blinked, her emerald eyes a bit puzzled.

"A meeting? With who?" I concealed a smile and sighed.

"Well... if you say you forgive me for _that_ incident I'll tell you." I could hardly keep my triumphant laugh in. Now Sakura will have to forgive me because she was too curious about whom I was going to meet.

My cousin raised an eyebrow. "What incident?" she asked blankly. I blinked and stared at her. Did she know?

"You know, Sakura... _that_ incident... the rumor," I reminded her in a soft voice so that the teacher couldn't hear. When the oblivious girl only blinked back, I gave up. "Never mind. Okay, you know that day at the library?" She nodded slowly. "Well, I bumped into someone... and it turned out to be the most handsomest, charming and sweetest guy in this whole entire world! And now he asked me out to lunch today!" I smiled happily, eager to see Sakura's reaction.

She blinked and stared at me. "Tomoyo... do you... do you have a _boyfriend_?"

Eh? Huh? Now where did she get that idea? ...Aside from the lunch meeting. I shook my head. "No, of course not! But..." I grinned a little. "I wouldn't mind if _he_ was my boyfriend." I was too busy dreaming about Len that I didn't see the frown on my best friend's face.

When Kei finished speaking, and Hiiragizawa finished talking about the basketball tournament that was being held by the _real_ varsity basketball players, our teacher told us to take out our text books. As students moaned and groaned about math and how much it sucked, something landed on my desk. I stared at the crumpled ball of paper, wondering how it got there. Then I turned around and saw a crowd of girls glaring at me, who were in the 'I Love Syaoran' fan club. The leader of the club pointed frantically to Sakura, who was staring out the window, already starting to doze off. I picked up the ball curiously and opened it, making sure the girls didn't see me.

**'Kinomoto. Stay away from Syaoran while you still have a face. This is a warning. The next time we won't be so lenient. –ILS' **

Oh my. Aren't we getting a bit... shall I say, _jealous_? Hmm. I folded the paper neatly, and suddenly had an idea. If I knew Sakura, she would be quite fired up reading this note. In fact, she would be quite willing to take up this _challenge_. So, with that thought in mind, I casually slid the note over to Sakura's desk, making sure the lecturing teacher didn't see. The honey-haired girl glanced at me and then took the note, reading it.

A minute later, she burst out laughing. The whole class stared at her, and the teacher asked her to please be quiet. Sakura, after stifling her giggles, turned back in her chair and waved pleasantly at the crowd of ILS girls, who were outraged at her blatant behavior towards their threat. I smiled. Everything was going according to my plan. Muah ha ha!

Sakura nudged me, whispering, "Tomoyo, I know this is a little weird of me, but I need your help... dressing up for tonight." Ho, ho, ho. And this is coming from the same person that insulted my dressing style just a few minutes ago? Never less, I was extremely pleased. She continued, "I want to give those girls a little wake up call... maybe wearing something _different_ will clear things up." She smirked.

I was ready to cry from joy. My cousin... she was finally growing up! Sniff. I was determined to give Sakura the best outfit I've ever given her yet. I smiled joyfully. "Okay. Meet me at my house, 4:00." I thought about what kind of clothes I had in my closet, barely able to hide my excitement. I had so much to do!

At lunch when the bell rang I quickly ran out of class, calling goodbye to Sakura as she passed me in the hall. I looked at my watch and realized I only had five minutes to get to the café. Fortunately the café was only a few blocks away from school, and if I ran I could get there in time to go to the bathroom. As I sprinted down the sidewalk some passing cars slowed down. I didn't think too much of them, but then, I just figured they were curious as of why a high school student was running _away_ from the high school.

I arrived at the café and burst through the door, panting like no tomorrow. The waitress, who I was the same waitress that worked at the café the last time I came here, gave me a startled look but didn't say anything. I cleared my throat, patted my haywire hair and looked around to see if there were any seats.

"Ah! Miss Daidouji." I turned and nearly melted. Len Muraki, in all his splendor and glory, was already sitting at a table. He smiled at me warmly and stood up, offering me a chair. I blushed and stammered a thank you as he asked what I wanted to order. Being the naturally eat-a lot girl I was, I almost ordered a mocha cream cheesecake and a cappuccino, but stopped myself. I couldn't look like a pig in front of him. So, with great difficulty, I ordered a small cup of coffee, no sugar. Bleh. My mom's least favorite. Which was impossible because she doesn't have a favorite. We chatted a little, talking about what schools we went to and what kind of things we were interested in. I realized he was about three years older than me—we were the perfect age!

"So, Miss Daidouji," he said as we got our food. No, correction. _Drinks_. I sipped my coffee and hid a grimace, then looked up and smiled at him. "I couldn't help but wonder, but last night you mentioned the name Hiiragizawa..." He raised an eyebrow, making him look more elegant. "Is that a person?"

I blinked and tried not to look surprised. He was interested that much in a name? Hmm... perhaps he was curious to know if I have a love interest...? Hah. Yeah right. Dream on, Tomoyo. ...But maybe... "Um... yes," I replied reluctantly. "Eriol Hiiragizawa. He's a... a classmate." When I stopped at that, Len only gave me a skeptical look. I sighed a little and said, "Well, we don't really... get along. I've known him for years, but I've never really gotten to know him. So, really... he's just an acquaintance." I gave him a bright smile, hoping he'd lose interest in the topic. Len looked a little distant, like he was thinking deeply about something.

When he broke out of his thoughts he gave me a smile and said, "I'm sorry. I was just thinking about what you said. But, well... I've heard of Eriol Hiiragizawa from where I came from, so naturally, I was curious." He laughed a little and leaned forward, saying, "So what do you plan to do after high school?" I was kind of curious about where he came from and what kind of things he heard about Hiiragizawa, but willingly answered his question.

Tomoyo, you've really hit jackpot this time... not that I've hit jackpot in the first place. This man was kind, courteous, polite, humorous, and overall an interesting guy. I was even starting to say some witty things of my own. Everything was going great... until _he_ had to show up.

I was laughing at something funny Len said, when a shadow loomed over me. I looked up and blinked. It was Hiiragizawa. He had this weird expression on his face like he was... I don't know, irritated? Annoyed, maybe? I could hardly read that mask behind his face. That is, until I looked at his eyes. There was something very sharp in those blue orbs... like he had an emotion that he was suppressing. I broke eye contact first and stared down at my forgotten cup of coffee. What was Hiiragizawa doing here?

Len was looking at him curiously, obviously wondering whether I knew this guy or not. I wished I didn't know him. Hiiragizawa kept his gaze on me, and when he spoke, I almost jerked in surprise at his cold voice.

"What are you doing here?" he asked me. I frowned slightly. What right did he have to know my business? What was _he_ doing here?

"What are _you_ doing here, Hiiragizawa?" I countered, partially glaring at his dark jacket.

"I asked first," he replied, smirking. Then, without waiting for me to respond, he turned to look at Len, who was watching us. "Are you her friend?" Hiiragizawa asked in monotone. What exactly was he trying to pull asking that question...? Wait. If he was still trying to find out whether I had a boyfriend or not... then this could be bad. I bit my lip as Len glanced at me. Please, say you're my boyfriend, please, please, please...! Heh, let's see how far you get with _that_ kind of action, Tomoyo.

"Yes," Len finally answered. "In fact, I'm her _boy_friend." He smiled serenely at Hiiragizawa, and then at me as I gaped at him in shock. He actually said that... he actually said... he was my boyfriend... how did he know...? Then, quickly, I smiled, clearing away any shock. Pretending I knew all along he was going to say that. "My name's Len Muraki," he introduced himself. "You must be Eriol Hiiragizawa... no?"

I was almost afraid to look at Hiiragizawa, but I could tell from his tone that he was as shocked as I was at Len's answer. "I am." He then seemed to gain his composure as he added, "Pleased to meet you." I blinked. Did Hiiragizawa just... say that? He was so _polite_. Then he turned to me, saying, "We should be heading back to school." Oh... darn. He was right.

I gave Len the sweetest smile I could muster and said, "Thank you so much for the time. I had fun." Len smiled at me, his hazel eyes twinkling. Then, to my great surprise, he took my hand gently and kissed it.

"I had a great time. Thank you. Well I'll see you again, Miss _Tomoyo_." I nodded, smiling dazedly as he took his coat and left the café. When I finally came back to Earth, which was a good ten seconds later, I looked at Hiiragizawa. He was glaring at the door, looking like he wanted it to burn and... and die. Whoa. What was up with him? Then, shrugging mentally, I passed Hiiragizawa and exited the café also. When I walked onto the sidewalk I checked my watch and nearly had a heart attack. I was going to be late!

Just then, a sleek, black car drove up beside me and the tinted window on the passenger seat slid down. It was Hiiragizawa. I blinked. Since when did he drive a car like this? He didn't look at me but asked unemotionally, "Do you want a ride?" There he goes, being _polite_ again. Normally I would have stuck my head up in the air and refused. But now was not the time to do that. My permanent record, my future, my _life_ was at stake here. So, without a word, I opened the door and got in. As the car raced down the street, my cell phone rang. Thank goodness. Answering the phone was better than enduring the cold silence. Perhaps it was the car's AC that was creating the cold atmosphere...

"Hello?" I answered.

"Tomoyo? Honey, it's Mom. Listen, remember that Mirror Company I told you about last night?"

"Yes," I nodded slowly. What did that geezer company have to do with me?

"Well, the president wasn't too happy when I refused to marry you to his son. And just recently I got a threat call saying your life was in danger. I'm right in guessing you're safe at school?"

Ooops. Guilty. "Um, of course, Mom. I'm safe. Here." Well, relatively safe. Assuming Hiiragizawa doesn't kill me right now... hehe, _not funny_.

"Good." Her voice was stern, as if she could tell I wasn't being honest but wasn't going to say anything about it yet. "I'll be sending bodyguards over to escort you after school ends. Don't go out of their sight until you're safe at home. I don't want some old geezer touching a hair on my daughter. Understood?" Sheesh. It's like she's _ordering_ me not to get kidnapped. Which is completely understandable, if you think about it. But, of course, I didn't think about it.

"Yes, Mom," I said. The car had stopped. I heard Hiiragizawa clear his throat. I guess it was time to go. "Is that all? I have to go class now." I could hear my mother ordering some people to get to work, and then a crashing sound could be heard over the line. "Uh, Mom? Mom? I have to go now! Bye!" I quickly shut off the phone and released a sigh. Why is it so silent? Then realizing the silent blue-eyed guy was waiting for me, I quickly apologized, "Sorry! Um, thank you for the ride."

I turned to open the door, but Hiiragizawa suddenly said, "Daidouji." I halted, looking at him over my shoulder. He was looking over the wheel out the windshield, an unreadable expression on his face. I suddenly found that his side profile was very handsome. Blinking, I shook my head mentally reminding myself I had Len. "It's off."

Huh? What? "...What's off?" I asked, completely puzzled.

He continued to look out the glass. "The bet. **It's off**." Then, without even glancing at me, he got out of the car. I stared after him.

Wow. That was a little random. He just called of the bet. The bet that _he_ started. I blinked, wondering why and how my ex-enemy came to this decision. Just then the bell rung, signaling the end of lunch. I shook my head, physically this time, and got out of the car, hurrying back into school. It was no use thinking about it right now. I'd have to analyze it totally when I got home.

_With bodyguards. _I winced, almost forgetting about what my mom told me a minute ago. I was going to relive my childhood... The bodyguards were coming back. And so was the video camera, if Syaoran had his way. It was all coming back to me. _All of it._

And so were the memories that I thought I'd buried.

* * *

"So Eriol called off the bet?" asked Sakura, her voice a little muffled from the door. She was dressing into an outfit I had picked out especially for her. I told her about my "date" with Len and how he said he was my boyfriend. She was glad for me, but wasn't as enthusiastic as I hoped she'd be. Then I told her about Er—Hiiragizawa and his odd behavior. I sat on my bed as she mused out loud, hearing her voice her frustration as she fit into the outfit. The door opened and she stepped out. "Finally! I thought I'd never get into this dress!" she grumbled.

I'm a _genius_. Seriously. Who would've thought of using an old dress and then remodeling it into a new one? Yes, that was me, ever the modest one. Ahem.

The dress was the gown that Sakura wore when she and Syaoran were in a school play. I believe it was the one where she 'sort of' confessed her love to a certain prince. I thought it was perfect for her to wear it on her first "date" with Syaoran tonight. The skirt part of the dress was exactly the same as before: light pink with the front part fashionably shorter than the back. But since she grew at least a foot over the past six, seven years, I had to tear off the top bodice and make a new one. The top one would have been too young looking anyway. So instead, I created a light pink silk top that had spaghetti straps and a fancy neckline.

I gave her the two red ribbons she'd worn back then also, knowing they might come in handy. Her honey-colored hair was longer now, past her shoulder. I smiled triumphantly and nodded in approval. "You look so cute, Sakura!" I remarked, clasping my hands together.

Sakura, being quite shy when it came to compliments, blushed and waved it aside. "Haha! It reminds me of the times when you used to bring out the video camera!" She laughed as she remembered the past. I for one only smiled.

_That video camera is in the past now. Past is past. _

"Tomoyo. Hey, Tomoyo!" I blinked as Sakura grinned in front of me. "I'm dressing out of this and going home to finish homework." She went into the bathroom to change. I sighed and lied back on my bed.

Why did people suddenly bring up the past? I mean... it was like they all planned out how to bring up history in my presence. Perhaps I'm just complaining, since I'm pretty good at whining... but I really don't want to think about anything other than the present. The past was something that I didn't need right now... and the future would come when it came. As long as everything was happy right now it didn't matter about the past and future, right? Right. That's exactly what I thought.

Video camera. My video camera. That thing was of the past now. I thought it was gone. I thought I'd left it behind... buried under all those years. Years in which I'd been building my new personality... Did people still remember it? That video camera symbolized everything I tried to forget. That sadness... that loneliness... that **empty** feeling...

_Sakura_.

* * *

_**CRASH.**_

"AH! Get away from me! I've never hit a woman, so don't make me start now! You—ARGH!"

_**BANG. SLAM.**_

"Okay, that's it! I didn't want to go hard on—"

_**SLAP. **_

I winced. Though I had no idea what was going on, I had a pretty clear mental image of what those sounds implied.

...Uh, no, it's _not_ like _that_, though it can kind of... NO! That's disgusting! Of course not! You sicko! I can't believe... EW.

Anyways. I was in my room thinking... about some things... and was about to go watch some TV, when these sounds came from outside. At first I had no idea who were screaming, but then I heard a familiar voice.

"Hey, do you have any idea who I am! I'm the descendent of Clow Reed, heir of the Li Clan, one of the most powerful—OMPH, get your hands off me!"

Syaoran Li. Heh. I wonder why he was in the unmerciful hands of my bodyguards...?

...Maybe because he's a _male..._?

Hmm, suspicions, suspicions. I should have known. I sighed and hurried out the door, where an odd scene met my eyes. The tall, proud heir of the Li Clan and one of the most popular guys in school was on the ground with half the women bodyguards keeping him down. The Head of Bodyguards was poking his face whenever he yelled, making him grow red and struggle even more.

You know, I thought bodyguards were mature, dignified and did not stoop to ganging up on a young, er... innocent guy. But I guess I can be wrong sometimes, too.

Syaoran looked up from his position on the grass and his eyes widened. "Daidouji, get your bodyguards off of me! Please!" I suddenly felt a rushing sense of power, but then pushed it down and nodded. No need for me to get a swelled head just because I had the advantage. No, no indeed. It was not kind or wise.

Besides, he said _please_, which is the most polite and proper form of submitting to the one who does have an advantage of power... Muah ha ha!

"Please get off of him, he's a friend," I told the bodyguards calmly. They Head of Bodyguards pouted for a fleeting second, and then stood up and ordered the rest of the women to get off him. When they did, they bowed to me, and then walked briskly back to their stations around the mansion. Syaoran got up slowly, wincing as he stretched his limbs and brushed grass off his clothes. I noticed he was wearing pretty nice, expensive clothes, and guiltily realized they were probably picked for tonight's date. Well...

The chocolate-eyed guy glared, I don't know if it was at the world, or me and then asked shortly, "So what's your great plan for tonight?" I brightened as I remembered the whole point of him coming here and grinned brightly.

"Well, Syaoran Li," I stated grandly, stepping inside the mansion, "I'm going to form a plan of magnificence... the total essence of brilliance. It's a plan that will sweep both you and Sakura off your feet!" He glanced around the mansion warily as I led him up to my room. Then, deciding to be more sudden, I whirled around, stopping abruptly to face the tall, brown-haired guy with narrowed eyes. He halted also, staring at me with a nervous and almost frightened expression on his face. I mentally grinned. "But...!" I gestured towards my clothes closet, where many male and female clothing resided. "First we need to get you dressed."

If possible, his eyes grew wider and he looked down at his clothes, protesting, "But I already am dressed! What are you—" I didn't let him finish and grabbed sleeve, pulling him into the closet. He stood beside me, looking around the large closet with apprehension. I could see why he was feeling that way. To a non-fashion-and-clothes-lover, the sight of racks and hangers overflowing with all sorts of clothes would probably render them speechless. Much like what was happening to little Syaoran over here. Muah ha ha ha! I'm so evil.

Oh my... I've finally gone over to the dark side. I'm not undecided anymore! Or wait... maybe I'm normally like this.

Yeeaaah.

I happily skipped around the crowded closet, picking clothes and then flinging them back if I didn't like it. Let's see, I needed something light... a light shaded clothing that had color, but not too much... Sakura was wearing a light pink material, and her purse would be white... so... AHA! I snapped my fingers with delight as I spotted the perfect clothes. I pivoted gracefully and flew out of the closet, dragging a bewildered Syaoran with me.

Once in my room, I gave the clothes to him and shoved him into my changing room, and then waited impatiently. He came out in a shorter time than Sakura had, and I had to keep from clapping my hands in joy. His shirt was a black, slightly collared t-shirt that wasn't too tight or too loose. His cargo pants were white and slightly baggy. The clothing style fitted him perfectly. And he would match Sakura so well... I could just imagine them together! They were so cute!

Sniff. Daidouji, you're such a genius. An _evil_ genius, that is. Muah ha ha ha HA!

There is a strange light in my eyes... hehe.

"Er..." Syaoran tugged his collar a little nervously, his eyes darting around the room. "So, you like it?"

_Did I like it? _Was he KIDDING me!

I smiled widely and answered simply, "Yes." But my eyes... oh ho ho, they had an evil twinkle in them indeed. I think he noticed them and his nervousness increased. But we didn't have time for this. I clapped my hands decisively and hurried into my other smaller room that had all my gadgets and gizmos that Mom gave me when I was younger. Well... she still gives me some now, but it's not like I use them as often.

I mean, who would go around wearing wristbands that yelled at you every time you had an appointment? Yeah, that's right. I'm not a _dork_.

Well, sort of...

Okay, I am. Stop rubbing it in.

As I searched the room that was littered with devices, Syaoran glanced around curiously also. He picked up a tiny pen that was supposed to work as a cell phone, but instead transformed into a blow dryer. He spluttered a bit as a blast of air came out of the pen. I spotted what I was looking for and picked it up triumphantly.

I beckoned Syaoran to come with me into my room and sat on the bed. He stared at the objects I had in my hand and raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. Picking up the first item, I held it up so he could see it clearly. "This," I showed him an earphone that hooked behind the ear, "is so you can hear me. I'll be speaking to you and telling you what to do and so forth." His eyes widened at the James Bond spy material, but he took it and placed it behind his ear.

Then I held up a thin, chain necklace with a fake diamond. "I'll be talking into this." I put it on and went to the corner of my room. "Hello, hello," I said softly. From across the room Syaoran made a slight noise of surprise. It worked. I smirked a very unlike-Tomoyo smirk and then walked back to him.

Finally, I gave him a thin wristband that had a strip of metal on it. "And this will enable me to hear everything you guys say," I informed, "and it will connect with this thing." I held up a pair of earrings that had a familiar metal material on it.

Syaoran gave me a look of surprise and reluctant admiration. "Not too bad, Daidouji," he said gruffly. "I suppose your mother gave you all this." I nodded pleasantly. He sighed and brushed a hand through his hair. I frowned.

"First of all," I said, "Sakura hates it when you brush your hair like that. She says your hair's messy as it is and you doing a 'James Potter' on it doesn't help at all."

He gave me a confused look. "James Pot-ter? Who the hell is that? Is he her friend?" His look turned slightly envious. I thought I saw a green tinge in his chocolate eyes. You know, sometimes, when he was his normal, arrogant, "Sakura-hating" self, his eyes were a normal chocolate color. But whenever something happened to hint that Sakura had a love interest or she was hurt, or he was just pissed, which was when Sakura had a love interest or she was hurt, his eyes turned an interest shade of amber.

"Never mind," I said, brushing it aside. "Okay, for the date tonight," I glanced down at my watch and did a double take: it was 6. "Okay, make that the date right now," I corrected, ignoring his gulp, "make sure you look like you're caring about her." Hmmm. What a lame way of putting it. "Wait, forget that. Just… just imagine this is a real date between you two and you both are madly in love with each other. Then just go with the flow." I gave him a gentle smile and patted his shoulder. He looked like he was frozen on the spot. "Syaoran? Syaoran?"

"**Tomoyo**?" Sakura's voice came from outside my bedroom door. "Tomoyo, who are you talking to?"

Holy crap.

What was _Sakura_ doing here?

* * *

A/N: Ooh! I think I've successfully written a "cliff-hanger". I never really liked those... but in this case, it is mandatory. Sorry... Well, there were a lot of weird phrases and stuff... oh well, I wanted to finish this chapter as soon as possible. So here it is! 


	11. If you really like James Bond

**A/N: Let's read this chapter! Yay! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura. They own _me..._ in mind, body and spirit. Hehe.

* * *

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**Chapter 11: If you really like James Bond...

* * *

**

**_Normal POV_**

"Hey, you."

Silence.

"Ex_cuse_ me..."

Silence.

"If you don't answer me I'll hack into the student body grade system—"

"_Fine_!"

"...You know what?"

"...No."

Naoko shot him an irritated glare, but didn't think it worthwhile to acknowledge his _annoying_ response and continued as if he didn't say anything, "I think there's something going on between them."

Kei Inasu lifted an eyebrow, sparing a glance at the girl sitting across from him. This was the third—no, _fourth_ time she had interrupted him while he was working in his office, and whatever she said never made _any_ sense. Right now she wasn't making any sense whatsoever. He sighed, putting down his pen and deciding that she wasn't going to leave him in peace until he cooperated with... with...whatever that was bothering her and causing her to bother _him_. "Define 'them'," he responded coolly.

She huffed quietly at his obvious lack of intelligence and explained slowly, "Eriol Hiiragizawa and Tomoyo." She lifted both eyebrows in emphasis, her eyes showing impatience. He merely gave her a confused look. She sighed. "I think Eriol Hiiragizawa is in love with Tomoyo Daidouji."

Kei's brown eyes widened and he abruptly choked, hacking and coughing so hard that a cat would've been astonished. "Eriol—_The_ Eriol—Tomoyo—love—Daidouji—crazy—mental—Eriol—_love_?—_I'm going to die_!" Naoko stared at him with open contempt and astonishment, wondering why he was hacking like an idiot. After a while he calmed down and caught her eye, realizing she was being extremely serious, and he raised an eyebrow. "You're mental. Eriol doesn't love Tomoyo Daidouji. She's got the looks, sure, but he wouldn't be insane as to—"

"Wanna bet?" She cut in sharply, her glasses flashing. He blinked, taken aback at her words. "If you won't believe me, I'll get them together by myself." With that she stood up quickly, her chair nearly toppling over. She gave him a final glare and stomped out of the room, making sure to slam the door after her.

Kei looked at the door, and then allowed himself to sigh with relief. "Eriol, buddy, you've got yourself some trouble here." He thought about Naoko, the main troublemaker, and smirked. He played with his earring thoughtfully, wondering how to deal with both Naoko and the Winter Festival paper work. Both seemed intent on giving him no peace of mind until he dealt with them... directly.

**_Tomoyo's POV_**

_Sometimes I remember what he said..._

_"She's my girlfriend."_

_And it would come to me in a flash, just like that. I would be filled with thrills of joy and reminded that there was a great guy out there that showed interest in me. _

_I would feel really nice inside... yet, not entirely warm and fuzzy like other girls have confessed that were in my position. Maybe it doesn't exactly exist. Or perhaps I _am_ feeling that... only, I'm just not satisfied with it... _

_Either way. I'm glad there is someone that likes me that way. _

_Could this be 'it'?

* * *

_

"S-Sakura?" I yelped, staring at the door in horror and shock. Of all times she had to show up at my house unexpectedly, it just had to be now. Syaoran was staring at the door too, a mixed look of anxiety and astonishment on his face. The doorknob started to turn, and at the last minute (or second), I shoved the frozen guy behind my bed, whirling around just as Sakura walked in. There was a confused and slightly suspicious expression on her face as she looked around my room and then at me.

"Were you talking to Sy-Li, Tomoyo?" she asked directly. I winced mentally, but forced a smile. I'd _better_ wing this one.

"I was just on the phone with him," I said smoothly, pointing to my cell phone, which was conveniently in my pocket. "He was... calling about... uh... shoes!" She gave me a weird look. I hastily added, "Because he wasn't sure what matched... uh. Yeah... But Sakura, what are you doing here?" Good plan, Tomoyo. Change the subject in a less dangerous direction.

Sakura seemed satisfied with my answer and her whole demeanor changed when she remembered the reason she came here. "Oh, Tomoyo," she sighed, her voice not happy. "Dad's at a meeting until night, and I thought it would be perfectly okay to go tonight without telling him, but then my stupid brother cornered me and demanded to know where I was going and why I was wearing a dress, and so I lied about going to your house and playing dress-up and to come back before nine and yeah, I'm in a bit of trouble." She finished with a deep breath and then slumped onto my bed, making both the hidden figure behind it and me stiffen. I'd forgotten about my older cousin. That Touya... always so protective about his little sister.

Hmm... it would help if he didn't interfere with my plans, but since he could be quite evil and dangerous when he wanted to be, I decided to deal with him later. Right now, I had to take care of a certain male that was hiding behind my bed and my cousin's inconvenient presence. Think, Tomoyo, think! There's got to be a way so that everything looks normal and Sakura doesn't find out about Syaoran...

I suddenly grinned as a perfect idea flashed into my head. I could feel my eyes twinkling. It was a good feeling. Oh yes, very good. "Hey, I've got an idea, Sakura," I told her as she drowned in her current sorrows (or maybe not sorrows... more like stress). And the brown-haired guy was probably fainting with nervousness, which would make sense since Sakura was only a foot or two away from him. "Well, since you told Touya you'd be here, he'll never know if you went out on that date with Syaoran. It'll be quite safe, actually." As I talked, my cousin slowly sat up on my bed and her eyes grew wider as she found hope in my suggestion. Now she jumped off the bed, her happy, determined aura back again.

Not that I actually did anything much... It's all Touya, really. Heh. Older brothers.

"That's a great plan, Tomoyo!" she exclaimed. Oh, ho, ho, yes I know. I'm brilliant. She clapped her hands and started towards the door, and then stopped and turned back to look at me. "How do I look?" she asked a little apprehensively.

I beamed and gave her a thumbs up. "Great, Sakura! You're so cute!" Both of youlook cute together, I added mentally. Then I waved her off, saying, "You'd better hurry, it's almost 7." She looked at her watch and gave a gasp, and then rushed out of the room, yelling something that sounded like goodbye and stupid Touya. Eh, she's a cute one all right.

"Is she gone?" a hoarse whisper came from behind me. I looked back and saw Syaoran peeking above the bed, his eyes wary. I smiled and nodded. He gave a sigh of relief and got up, brushing his clothes. Then he nodded briskly at me and strode out of my room. "Thanks. Now that possessive freak won't be after my head." He shuddered and glared, which was an odd combination. But I understood since I knew his relationship withthe older brother. It would bea problemifSakura and Syaorandecided to get married..."See you... later, Daidouji." I knew he was thinking about my 'spying', and I was excited about it also. Or perhaps he's not nearly excited. More like scared. Heh.

Uh oh. Sakura was already ahead of Syaoran, and if he was planning to walk _and_ avoid her at the same time... he'd be late. A guy should never be late to a date. Sakura liked guys who were caring, sensitive (to a woman, at least) and sweet, and if he made her wait for him... that would be losing big points.

I took my devices, along with some other items, and hurried out of the room after Syaoran. "Wait!" I called, as he was about to go outside. He stopped at the door and gave me a curious look. I smiled. "The limo's outside."

* * *

_RRRRAAAAAAAAARRRR!_

Did I mention that they were the most irritating, life-interfering, annoying people in all human history?

Bodyguards, that is.

Bleh. I _hate_ it.

It's not like I hate them, or even dislike them. I've talked to them many times when I was younger and they proved to be interesting, honest people. They were very nice, and extremely dedicated to their job. They cared about their job like it was their life. You don't see very many people who are that devoted to their _jobs_. It's a gift, as some people might say. It's torture, as I might say.

If only they weren't _so_ good at their jobs.

Said bodyguards were holding me captive in the limo as Syaoran got off and hurried into the café. Just in time too, because the honey-haired girl soon appeared at the door and walked in with all her splendor and glory. The splendor and glory that _I_ made, of course. Hehe.

But that's not the issue here. No, not at all.

I had to get _in_ there. Syaoran needed me... and I needed to spy on them.

But first I needed to get out of here. And that wasn't going to happen if I remained in this limo surrounded by bodyguards.

Move. You. _Poke._

So maybe it was for my own good. After all, when there are angry company presidents trying to possibly kidnap you and force you to marry his thirty-five-year old son, protection is vital. I suppose I should be thankful. And I am, really. Only, not nearly enough thankful that I'm pleased with the current situation.

I need to spy on them right now!

"Miss Daidouji, you may not be comfortable with this decision, but your mother ordered specifically that you are never to step out of the mansion unprotected. I'm sorry, but we're not letting you go outside, especially this late at night." Blah, blah, BLAH! Of course, I nodded politely as the head bodyguard woman listed off my mother's orders and why I should be safe, but inside, I was... well, you know.

Sometimes being rich really sucked. Like right now.

I needed to think of an idea—a plan, anything. Something might be going on right now in that café, and Syaoran might need my help. Too bad these communication devices can only work in short distances with no obstacles—meaning, I can't tell him anything from in this limo. And it's not like I can get out of it either—!

Gasp. I have an idea.

I suddenly gasp (out loud this time) and my eyes widened as I turned to my bodyguards. They stared at me in concern (at least, that's what it looked like from behind their shades) and asked if I was all right. "No! I-I don't think—" I flustered for a bit. Ugh. This is very un-Tomoyo-like. But then, in this case... "I think I've started my _period_."

Seriously. I'm _brilliant_.

The head bodyguard woman raised an eyebrow, and then nodded briskly as the pained look on my face increased ever so slightly. "We'll follow you, Miss Daidouji." Great. Thanks a lot. I nodded, painfully, and grabbed my large bag that was filled with my disguises and devices as one of the bodyguards opened my door. As we all entered the café, heads turned to stare at me and my entourage of women-in-black. Sigh. The cost of being rich... waah. None of the waiters and waitress' stopped us for using private bathrooms.

I spotted the lovely couple over by the window, and kept back a laugh. Syaoran was facing me, and Sakura's back was toward me. From the looks of it, things were kind of... awkward. His face was a little red, frustrated, and definitely nervous. I could tell from my cousin's rigid back that she was feeling equally, or more, anxious as him.

Well, here's Tomoyo to the rescue!

"Miss Daidouji, the restrooms are that way."

Dang it. The bodyguards all waited for me as I slowly walked over to them, smiling apologetically (not really, but yeah). Then Syaoran caught my eye. He gave me weird eyes and invisible gestures. But, alas, his non-talking communication skills had not improved any since the last time. So I whispered into my talking device (the fake diamond necklace), "Can you hear me?"

I saw him turn in his seat as if to look around for the waiter (haha, so clever!) and mutter, "Yeah. There's a table behind Sakura." The bodyguards were still waiting for me to go to the bathroom, but I had paused to examine a music concert flyer on the café bulletin wall.

"I know," I whispered, "but there's a problem. Bodyguards. Won't let me stay by myself."

The chocolate-eyed boy looked like his frustration increased. But when Sakura asked him if something was wrong (thanks to his wristband), he just smiled and said, "No, I'm fine. Where's that waiter? Wait here, I'll check up on our food, 'kay?" He actually looked at her in the eyes and I could tell Sakura was momentarily surprised by his unusual thoughtfulness. Well, I would be too, but... heh. He's doing this for _me_. When she nodded, he got up and walked nonchalantly towards me.

"Miss Daidouji," the head bodyguard woman said a little impatiently, "didn't you say you were starting 'it'? We should hurry." Aw, shoot. I nodded, smiling again. As I walked (slowly) to the bathroom, Syaoran was walking behind the bodyguards.

"Hey," he said lowly, "do you think maybe you can go to the bathroom soI can stall some time for you? That way you can get away from them." I blinked, standing in front of the bathroom door. Hey, that was _exactly_ my plan.

"Okay," I answered softly, not wasting anytime. But I wondered what he meant by stalling for time. How would he do that? With a mental shrug, I entered the bathroom, the rest of the bothersome bodyguards trooping after me. I took my sweet time reading the instructions on the pad/tampon case, searching for change in my purse. What was Syaoran going to do? When was he going to do it? Where were my coins?

All the sudden, I felt a light, harmless twinge in my head. There was a chiming change in the air, like a twang of a string. And just like that, everything around me froze. The ladies at the sink weren't talking, the water had stopped where it was midair, the bodyguards didn't even _breath_, and the entire room looked a little faded. Then I realized what must have happened.

Syaoran used _magic_. Just what type of magic he used I have no idea, especially since Sakura had all the Clow Cards... but I know he used magic. I was certain he just stopped time. And if I remember correctly, time took up a lot of energy. With that thought, I immediately bolted into action, taking out my sunglasses, scarf, and big hat, then took off my jacket and replaced it with a long raincoat. Then I switched my shoes for sandals. And Walla! I looked like a weird lady with bad fashion sense.

Apparently Sakura thinks I already _am_ a weird lady with bad fashion sense...

I took one last look at the motionless bodyguards, and giggled with glee. Hee hee. I'm such a mischievous child. With that, I hurried out of the bathroom. I was momentarily shocked because it was crazy out there. Everything was in mid-action, like someone pressed 'pause' while watching a video or something. I saw a water about to trip, his expression that of dismay and shock, and the tray of food in his hands about to become trash. Just then, I saw Syaoran coming out of the kitchen. He spotted me in my entire disguise, and then the waiter I was standing next to. His jaw dropped. "That's my food!" he exclaimed indignantly. Ooooh. That's not good. He sighed and took it out of the air, stationing himself a little in front of the waiter. Then he said to me, "Stand in front of the door—look like you've just come in."

I hurried to the door, standing a little dumbly. Well, I can't just act like I didn't know what to do! To make a good effect, I placed my hand on the door, as if I just came through. Maybe I should place my fingers on my sunglasses and model—make it look like I was a foreign royalty or something. As I was contemplating this intriguing thought, I heard Syaoran mutter some words I didn't understand, and then, suddenly, the whole world came back to life. The hustle, bustle of the café continued as if nothing happened—which was true, but not entirely. I blinked my shock away, stunned by the sudden noise. It was as if something switched the volume back on from mute. Then gathering my senses, I strode purposefully toward the empty table behind Sakura, who was looking around, possibly for her future husband, ahem.

I saw the brown-haired guy talking to the waiter, who seemed extremely bewildered and astonished at his good luck of not dropping an order. Syaoran walked back to his table, carrying the tray of food. I noticed he looked slightly exhausted, like he hadn't slept for a while or something. Well, duh, he just used a lot of big-time magic. Of course he'd be tired. And apparently Sakura noticed as well.

"Hey, you all right?" she asked, almost a little concernedly. She didn't know that magic had just happened right under her nose. Well, that's Time for you. Syaoran snapped his head up to look at her, and then blinked and passed her the plate of food. I hid a grin, watching his face carefully.

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine," he answered, smiling, albeit strained smile. I was impressed at the way he was acting all gentlemanly and nonchalant. I could tell Sakura was even more worried about him. GASP. Well, it looked like he didn't need me at all. But then, since I went through all this trouble...

"She can't have gone too far! Spread and search the block!" ordered the head bodyguard woman, nearly knocking oversomeone as she ran out the door. The bodyguards poured from the bathroom hall and into the café, exiting swiftly though the exit. I held my breath and covered my face partially with a supporting hand, waiting until they exited the door to release my breath.

Wow. I did it. I, Tomoyo Daidouji, managed to ditch the bodyguards. At last. I was... victorious. Free. Muah ha ha!

"Where did those bodyguards come from?" said a female voice. I say female because at first I wasn't sure if it was Sakura that asked the question. But then I heardmy cousinask her "date" something different, and he answered accordingly without my help. I realized it was the waitress behind me that asked the question. I turned slightly around when she asked, "Are you okay, sir?"

"Yes, I'm fine," the "sir" answered smoothly. I frowned, wondering why that voice seemed so familiar. But then, I know a lot of guy's voices, so it wasn't that unusual. "I'll just seat myself, thank you," he continued. He must've been the guy that the bodyguards almost knocked over. I had to disguise a snort, which would've been totally undignified if I didn't. He past me, and Sakura's table, and sat down behind Syaoran so that he was facing me... only, two table away. It was a little weird, because now I saw Syaoran's and a sunglass-wearing man's face... facing me. And he was wearing a cap. Not that that's important. Oh well, enough about that.

"So... is it true that you've dated Kimi Harazina three times?" Sakura's voice suddenly sounded in my ear. I blinked, and saw Syaoran stiffen a little. His eyes flickered to me before he chuckled nervously. Obviously, he was trying to think of a good, decent, non-jerky type of answer. And, of course, I had the right answer.

"Say you did, but only because you wanted to give her chances to show she was a nice person to hang out with. But she wasn't," I whispered, keeping my eyes on him, but covering my mouth with a scarf. He said it. Sakura seemed a little surprised at the non-Syaoran answer, but quickly snapped another question.

"What do you see in a 'nice person'?" Oooh. Tough question, but of course, I know the answer to that one. At least, the answer Sakura wants.

"You see kindness, honesty, patience, and understanding," I whispered, listing off the virtues that Sakura had listed a long time ago back when we were in middle school. Ah, I remembered back then, when we were innocent school girls. Not that we aren't now, of course... Minus the innocent part, if you please. Eh heh.

Syaoran repeated what I said, but then a slightly glazed look entered his eyes and he added, "And loving. A nice person always gives love to others." He looked straight into Sakura's eyes (I think) and for a moment they had a staring contest like that. It was so romantic. I almost started sniffing.

After a while, Sakura cleared her throat and asked, "Um, then... Do you think someone who acts like they're better than another person is a nice person?" I could hear the smug tone in her voice. She was trying to test whether Syaoran was admitting to all the arrogant and rude comments he gave her when they were... not-"dating". I took a deep breath just as he did, and thought about a good answer.

But before I could whisper anything, Syaoran took another deep breath and said, "I don't think that person is a nice person. Especially if they think they're better than anybody else. It just proves that the person they think they're better than is, in fact, the... nice person." His voice became quiet as he continued, "That person probably doesn't know what kind of person they are... that's why they think they're better than everybody else."

Well. That would work. Very good, Mr. Li. I applaud.

Sakura seemed a little at lost for words at the profound response, and took a while to recollect her thoughts. She asked slowly, "Do you think you're a nice person... Li?"

Oh... no! I bit my lip and hissed, "Say, 'It's Syaoran'."

He blinked and blurted, "Say it's Syaoran!" I nearly burst out laughing as an awkward silence followed. Ah, I'm so evil.

Sakura paused before saying in a very confused voice, "Um... what?"

He recovered quickly and replied, "My name is Syaoran. Remember, we're supposed to be going out—people are going to think it's weird if you call me by my surname." Then he paused and added, "Wouldn't you agree... _Sakura_?"

Oh my oh my oh my oh my oh my oh my oh my oh my oh—!

My, my.Syaoran Li is being very suave, is he not? But I wonder why I suddenly told him to say that. Hmm. Probably because I'm a genius.

Ahem.

"Well, I guess... no," Syaoran was saying in answer to her question. "No. I'm not a nice person—at all." He grinned quite sardonically. I frowned and waved my hands, catching his attention and causing him to immediately drop the smirk/arrogant grin/infuriating quirk. "I haven't been the nicest person to you, as you probably know..."

Sakura snorted. Very unlady-like of her, but, well, sometimes Sakura doesn't act like a polite, charming lady. Again with the fire-breathing-raging-mad-dragon thing.

"But," he continued, his voice going in a slightly lower pitch, "it doesn't really matter what I am. It's important for you... that... well..." I saw his eyes turn darker as he stared at Sakura. This time I knew he was staring at her. If only I brought my video camera... wait, no. Never mind about that. You see...

Video Camera equals trip down memory lane. Trip down memory lane equals unpleasant reminders. Anyways...

I caught his slow words as he said, "You... Sakura... You... are..."

The doorbell tinkled as a new gust of customers swept in. Some _loud_ new customers. I glanced behind me and then blinked. There were a group of girls whispering and gawking at me—no, the _couple_ in front of me. At first I was pissed that I'd just missed what Syaoran said, but then I became amused. Hehe.

It was the I Love Syaoran (ILS) Fanclub. And boy, they looked _pissed_.

Haha. Amusing. Heh. _Funny_. This should be interesting.

The furiously whispering girls moved their way towards a table not too far from Sakura and Syaoran's table, and started giving my cousin dirty looks. The couple noticed them, and I noted that Sakura had leaned forward a little more across the table toward her "date". The chocolate-eyed boy was merely bewildered as to why these girls that went to their school was here. Humph. He obviously had no idea one of those girls were crazy, fanatic and _totally in love_ with him: Kimi Harazina. He had no clue she still had the hots for him. But he was going to notice now. Oh yes, he was going to find out.

Plus, that expression on her face was _definitely_ not pretty.

Hey, why didn't any of the ILE (I Love Eriol) Fanclub girls threaten me for being "involved" with their precious idol? I thought Hiiragizawa was top of the school in that area. I even heard that once when Hiiragizawa asked a girl for some help on his homework (which I highly doubt) the Fanclub literally destroyed every bit of the girl's self-esteem. Horrible, I know, but true. That's why I never really liked Hiiragizawa, his fanclub, and everything else that went along with his popularity. So... why wasn't I ever terrorized? I mean, like "self-esteem-destroying" kind of terror. Could it be... that maybe he told them to back off...?

Heh. HA! Yeah _right_. Like _he_ would do anything like that! As if! He wouldn't "stoop down" to that level. Not him. Not in my life. That would never happen. NEVER.

..._But..._ That nagging kept bothering my mind and refused to go away.

I shook my head and focused back on the date I was supposed to be watching. So far Syaoran was doing pretty good. However, now that the jealous enemies (ILS) had entered the scene, I wasn't so sure what was going to happen.

And so, I waited. I waited patiently, watching both parties being aware of each other but not really acknowledging it. Neither side did much of anything, but glance at each other with suspicious eyes. Sakura was inching closer to Syaoran, and the brown-haired guy was keeping an eye on both female parties. I was having trouble just watching all of them. And then, just when I thought someone was going to do something...

It Happened.

...**BAM! **The café door swung open and a mean gust of wind swirled in, bringing everyone's attention on the suddenly dark, stormy sky outside. Just then, an army of black-clad FBI agent-looking men trooped in, all carrying arms and blazing huge cannon-like guns shouting for everyone to get down—

Actually, not really.

In fact, I just had to go pee. For _real_, this time.

Excuse me while I drown myself in my cup of water. Here comes Dorky Tomoyo.

Just as I was about to get up, a shadow loomed over my table. Déjà vu from a familiar moment earlier today flashed in my mind before I looked up at the shadow-maker. It was a man. No, wait, an... FBI agent?

Whoa, whoa, hold it. I was just _kidding_—what the heck? I mean, when you make a joke about something, it isn't supposed to just _happen_. I was starting to feel a little afraid.

The man looked at me (I _think_—he was wearing sunglasses) and said in a low, officious tone, "Miss Daidouji? President Sonomi's daughter, correct?" I blinked. Oh. He could be one of Mom's workers. I nodded, wondering why he was here and whether my mom sent him. He gave a brisk nod. "Come with me, please. Your mother is waiting in the limo."

Uh oh. I gulped, but didn't let him see. How did Mom know I was here? I was busted—

Wait. How _did_ Mom know I was here? She was supposed to be at an important meeting with an insurance company _thirteen hours_ away from here! She was supposed to be coming home tomorrow _evening_. How in the heck did she...? Oh. I...

I'm so freaking stupid. My bodyguards, the threat note, my mother's warning, the Mirror company's threat, the potential kidnap... ding, ding, ding!

I looked sharply back up at the man, but suddenly felt a cold metal touch my thigh through the thinness of my skirt. Immediately I stiffened, knowing without recognizing what it was. That stupid bastard. He took me by surprise. What a cheap trick. Using weapons to threaten innocent girls...

I was innocent! I tell you, innocent!

"Don't speak; don't do anything stupid. Come with me silently if you value your life..."

I was scared. Of course. Anyone in my position would be scared of that low, creepy voice of his. But... Who was I to be afraid of loosing my life? After all, wasn't it just a few years ago when I would've gladly sacrificed my life for the one I loved? Yeah, that's right! My life's not that important. I can stand to die. Especially if my mom's life's work is on the line here. So... let him do what he wants! I didn't care! I lifted my chin defiantly and was about to open my mouth when he whispered, "If you value your mother's life..."

_Damn_. Whatever he says goes. I nodded slightly and stiffly got up, slowly, so the stupid FBI look-alike wouldn't be all alarmed or anything. I shot a desperate look at Syaoran, Sakura, heck, even those ILS members... but all of them were too caught up in their staring contest to even notice me.

My friends sure are very helpful, aren't they? No, it's not their fault... but... I wish they'd at least notice if their sacrificing friend here was going to leave the freaking café!

Outside the sky was already dark (since it's winter and all) and there was a slight breeze in the air. But overall, tonight was quite warmer than it had been for the past week. It wouldn't really matter to me, since I'm wearing a hat and a raincoat. That's dorky ole me all right.

If you haven't noticed, I wasn't screaming on top of my lungs or trying to make a break for it because the stupid man had his (cleverly hidden) weapon of violence (AKA gun) on my back and I, for one, didn't think it was safe to dash off anywhere. Yet.

Note the 'yet'.

...Still waiting...

And waiting.

And are we heading towards that dark, shiny limo at the darkest corner of the street over there? Yes, I do believe we are. Not good.

There were people walking up and down the sidewalks everywhere, yet none of them even glanced at me. Well, they probably glanced at the tall, FBI-looking guy directly behind me, but that didn't help any. Hello! Girl about to be kidnapped here! My life is at stake here! Come on people! But where in the world was my mom? If those bastards did anything to her, I swear...

Suddenly, as if he read my mind, he said, "Your mother isn't here. If you want to know, she's safe at her meeting thirteen hours away from here." I heard a smirk in his voice. "Little girl, you actually fell for that buff. Hah! How fool—"

Next thing you know... I'm the luckiest girl in the world. Seriously.

The bastard behind me suddenly tripped and stumbled on a crevice in the sidewalk, and the gunpoint was suddenly not on my back anymore. I suddenly realized that I could get out of this alive and instinctively hurtled off, trying to get in the crowd of people that luckily swarmed by. I could hear the FBI-wannabe cursing loudly and yelling something horrible—but I kept silent and as casual as possible and hid in the crowd.

And Tomoyo Daidouji managed to ditch an annoying person once again. I'm getting good at this... maybe I should become a professional ditcher!

"There she is! Get her!"

Or maybe I could use some more practice. Not that I _want_ any of it. I pushed through a couple holding hands and chanced a look behind me. About five or seven big men with FBI-looking sunglasses were running after me through the crowd. Eep, not good. I made a break for it.

Run, Tomoyo, run! Faster, faster, you're running for your life here! It seems my love for lifecame back to me.I panted hard as I sprinted through the streets. The restaurant and shop signs illuminated my vision as I passed them, lighting my way. Finally, I came upon a familiar street. It was near Sakura's neighborhood. Instinctively, I made a turn and found myself facing the old King Penguin slide and the park behind it.

Ah... old memories. Those fond times when I was younger and played here as an innocent child... For the old days.

"That way! She went there!"

Crap. They were still on my trail. I gulped hard and ran as fast as I could into the park, placing my dark sunglasses in my pocket and praying that they wouldn't find me here. Well, I _did_ have an advantage. As a child I spent most of my days sitting here and running around the park. I knew it like the back of my—

_**WHAM**._

I slammed into a tree.

This is the second time I've run into a tree this month! There is seriously something wrong with Nature here!

Hopefully those bastards didn't hear that little running into the tree...

"There! That's her! GET HER!"

Oh. My. Noodles. They. Are. Still. After. Me.

The stitch in my side was bigger than the size of Texas (I think) and my panting was so loud that the sound alone could've traced me to the FBI-wannabes. Aw, jeez, what was a girl to do? I was just a normal, weird girl trying to get by in life. Why did this have to happen to me? WHY! I could hear running footsteps not too far behind. I kept running, though I had to clutch my side and breath like a frog blowing itself up.

...Ew...mental image.

As soon as I heard the running behind me fade away, I hid behind a massive oak tree and caught my breath. I never knew oxygen was so... so... yummy. Uh, hehe. Yeah. Yummy. Delicious. Mmm.

I wonder what Syaoran and Sakura are doing right now at the café. Are those ILS girls still glaring at them?

Uh... Oh. I feel it. It's rising... er, sinking. It wasn't a new feeling, this unpleasant sensation. It was bad... it was really bad...

I still needed to pee. Dang it. Maybe I should use this break to...? Nah.

I bit my lip, stifling any rising panic and anxiety that had been building up since I left the café. No, erase that, I've been feeling anxious since before I was in the stinking café. Hmm. Some of my bodyguards here right now wouldn't hurt. Heh. Maybe I shouldn't have just ditched them like that. See where it got me? Eh.

Sigh. I'm such an idiot. And just as I started to sigh again, a sound reached my ears. It was very close. And sounded kind of like... like somebody stepping on a tiny twig... not more than five feet away from me.

Oh-oh-hhhhh...

I tried not to breath and slowly started to stand up. Maybe if I didn't make any noise and creep away the person wouldn't hear me and I could make my escape. Or should I just sprint...?

Suddenly, a large hand clamped over my mouth, scaring the hell out of me and nearly giving me a heart attack.

It's been a known cause that when you're scared a lot as a youngster your chance of getting a heart attack before you're forty increases. At least, that's what somebody said. Maybe it was Sakura? Or was it Chiharu? Well, either one of them. I think Chiharu was even thinking about becoming a nurse or something because she was so worried about getting heart attacks and diseases. But, you know, to each their own. Anyways...

Hey, wait a minute. There's a _hand_ over my _mouth_, which could possibly be one of the FBI-wannabes, in case I haven't noticed! What am I doing, blabbering (in my head) about heart attacks? I know, I'm so stupid!

Ahem. Okay. Back to the hand.

...The Hand. Oh my.

...Something smells like fresh shampoo and... a faint, vague scent that I can't quite put my finger on. Like...

Somebody was very close behind me, because my head was leaning on their... or should I say, _his_, chest. I knew that this person was not those FBI-wannabes. But... he _could_ be a rapist/mugger/kidnapper/something and goodness knows THAT'S not good. His breath brushed my hair that had fallen out of its bun, and his other hand was on my wrist... whose hand was on his hand that was over my mouth... and my other hand was on _his_ wrist that was holding my hand that was on his hand that was on my mouth...

And basically we were a tangled mess.

When he was sure I wasn't going to talk, he slowly released his hand over my mouth, but kept holding my wrist. I immediately turned around, which was awkward because we were still sitting... slash squatting... and sort of standing... so yeah, it was hard. But through the dark I managed to see a pair of sunglasses, a flash of his watch, and... a cap? Hey, I know where I've seen that!

He was the guy from the café!

...But, wait... _huh_?

How did he... Where did... When... He knew I was... Wait, who the heck _was_ he? I'm a little confused here, can you tell? I stared at him (the back of his head) as he tugged me along by the wrist, creeping through the trees' dark shadows. He must've followed me out when the FBI guy who I assumed came from Mirror pulled the gun on me. But how did he know to follow me? And he managed to find me all the way out here! Perhaps he was a super-smart cop... in training. Or maybe a freaky stalker. Yeah, that's possible. But somehow he didn't look like a stalker to me. But what do I know? I'm stalkerish myself.

Distant yells and calls echoed across the park, and I bit my lip, wondering whether they knew I was still here. Mr. Mysterious/Stalker/cop-in-training was silently guiding me to who knows where, and I suddenly had no idea where we were going. Where was he leading me? What if he _was_ a stalker...? Hmm.

_Then I would be in trouble, huh...? _

Brilliant, Daidouji, you're a freaking genius.

At least he wasn't taking me to those FBI wannabes. But still, he could be dangerous.

So why was I letting him drag me around? I could've screamed and yelled (which actually wouldn't be a good idea right now) or kicked and struggled like the Cat Woman I was (I don't think she struggled like I imagined). However, I felt a familiar sense of... familiarity around him. Like, as if I knew this presence... and was extremely _comfortable_ in it. Weird, eh? Well, I'm a weirdo.

I was just about to speak up when the footsteps and yelling came back—louder than before. The FBI wannabes (Mirror's Henchmen) were onto our trail again. This was getting quite old, if I may say so. Maybe I should just turn back and tell them to their faces to go away... heh. But reality sucks, so I shouldn't be overreacting.

Back to the voices and footsteps. Well, my mysterious hero/stalker/cop-in-training (I'm still convinced this fellow was with the _real_ FBI) was leading me a little faster through some foliage and upon an old, abandoned shed that used to hold the Park's grooming supplies. But it had been more than sixty years since it's been in use, and the only visitors it has nowadays are possibly the rats and a few wild, furry animals. Eugh.

Wait... he wasn't planning to go in there!

Eh... hehe, how funny of me to think... that...

He reached the ancient, dark wooden door of the shed and pushed it open, the hinges creaking painfully as it swung slowly. I guess he was planning to go in there... here. It was dark inside, but we didn't have time to do anything because then the Mirror Henchmen were nearing the shed. Mr. Hero/Mysterious/still-cop-in-training pulled me gently in and shut the door quietly, engulfing us in total darkness. I guess we _are_ going to be in there... and stay there.

I would've said something, but just then voices came from directly outside. From the cracks in the door, I could see the faint moonlight and the shadows of the figures outside. They were arguing about whether to go inside or not. I held my breath, trying to make myself as un-existable as I could. Which isn't too hard, sadly. So as I was trying to make myself disappear, the voices seem to fade, until finally, they were gone. What I didn't notice was that my hero was muttering under his breath the entire time.

Dang it, now that I think about it, I would've noticed there was supposed to be an old light switch around here. But of course, I forgot all about it.

Once they'd gone, and my breath was back, I turned in the general direction of where the door was and decided to step confidentally forward—only to bump hard into something not as solid (as the door) but solid enough for me to go, "Oh!" Dorky Tomoyo. You just bumped into the wall.

"Are you okay?"

I almost jumped clear out of my skin as the voice came from behind me. Or beside me. Or was it in front of me...? Well, either way, he was very close to me. I realized I'd bumped into _him_, not the wall. Ooops. "Are you okay?" he repeated, his voice sounding a little concerned. Hey... I frowned, trying to remember something. There was something about his voice that was very familiar... yet I couldn't quite place it. I heard it often enough to recognize it... but I wasn't sure _who_ it was.

(So dumb... wait a little until Tomoyo finally uses her brain.)

Wait. Answer his question first, Tomoyo. "Um, yeah, I'm okay," I said, a little uncertainly. I couldn't see him very well at all, so I felt kind of stupid (or at least, more stupid than usual) talking into the seemingly empty air in front of me. "Er, if you don't mind me asking..." I spoke up, hesitating. "...Who are you?"

There was a silence as I waited for his answer. At first I thought he'd left the shed, and then I felt shocked and indignant that he'd ditch me like that. But then I heard a light rustling movement and a short sigh. I wonder why he was so reluctant to answer. Perhaps he _was_ a stalker... Oh my.

Then, "It's me, Tomoyo. Don't you know my voice?"

Oh my goodness. It's him. HIM! It's the crazy pizza boy from my dreams! He lives! AHHH!

...Or, eh heh, NOT. I can be very eccentric when I want to be.

But who in the world was he? Well... who else would say my first name like that...? Hmmm.

_Him_. At the café, when he sat behind... and he looked... and his weird sunglasses... when I first recognized his voice... he...

It was Eriol. Uh, I mean, Hiiragizawa. I mean... ugh. How do I call him Hiiragizawa when he just saved my life? And what was he doing here anyways?

"Are you a stalker?" I blurted without thinking. Quite obviously I wasn't in my senses. I could already feel the awkward silence looming upon us as my question seemed to float in midair. I'm such an idiot. I mean, Hiiragizawa—or Eriol—just saved my skin and _how_ do I repay him? I ask if he's a _stalker_.

"Uh, I don't know," he replied, his tone a little uncertain. Whoa. Whoa. That tone of voice shouldn't be there. He wasn't supposed to be all uncertain and agreeing with my accusations. What was wrong with him? And why in the world did he say 'I don't know?' Didn't he _know_?

He must've known I was a little more than shocked at his answer, so he hurriedly added, "I was just kidding!"

Oh, yeah. Very good joke. It's SO funny. Like, AHAHAHA.

Hiiragizawa, you idiot. You have no idea how much my heart attack rate increased just from the day I made that stupid bet with you. I'm going to die before I'm forty.

"Tomoyo?"

I shot a glare at his general direction, irritated that he still didn't understand my feelings (no, I don't _like_ him) and decided to give him a dose of my sharp sarcasm. Ooh, alliteration right there. I've got skills.

I opened my mouth to tell him something along the lines of 'Go to hell, you stupid, arrogant bastard-who-stole-my-dignity-and-increased-my-heart-attack-rate-because-of-your-blue-blue-eyes-and-stupid-nice-smile-and-a-habit-of-sneaking-up-on-me-when-I-least-expect-it!' or simply 'I-hate-you!' but instead what came out of my mouth was:

"Thank you Eriol."

Yeah. That's what I said.

Now what was _that_? I'm pretty sure those three words were _not_ along the lines of 'Go to hell'. And definitely not 'I hate you'. Could it be that I was already falling for the infamous Hiiragizawa "charm" that threw so many females off at school? No, no, that was impossible, I had Len! So... it was because he saved my life. I was warming up to him without realizing it because he'd rescued me. I think. I hope. That was his intention, right? And that was why I was feeling this way... right?

I just noticed he never answered to my "thanks".

There was an awkward silence as we stared at anything but each other (at least, in my case) trying to think of something worthwhile to say. Finally, I cleared my throat softly and asked, "Um, so, why are you here?"

He shifted a little, but didn't seem uncomfortablewhen heanswered, "I saw you leaving the café with that FBI-looking man and thought maybe he wasn't with you for your own good but instead maybe trying to kidnap you and so I followed you two out until you got here." There seemed to be a sort of sheepish and helpless tone in his voice as he rambled on about his answer. I blinked. Since when did Hiiragizawa ever seem helpless? Since when did he ever even _ramble_? This was something very interesting indeed.

"Wait. Why were you in the café in the first place?" I asked suspiciously, my eyebrows knitted as I looked at his general direction. I think he glanced at me and then took a breath, definitely sounding helpless. Hah. I was making him nervous! This is SO payback. I watched his shadowed figure carefully, narrowing my eyes for good measure so that he could really freak out. Ah... I'm so mean.

"What were _you_ doing at the café, Tomoyo?" he suddenly asked, a mischievous tone in his voice. Darn. He foiled my plan. Why did he have to be so evil and cunning? Not that evil and cunning had anything to do with my plans... or anything. Heh. "Hmm?" he said when I didn't answer.

I straightened myself and gave a haughty (completely made-up) explanation. "Well... I... wanted some coffee! And then I had to go to the bathroom! So I stopped by the café and happened to just sit behind—" Hold on a second. I halted and thought hard. If Eriol—Hiiragizawa was the guy in the cap, and that guy happened to sit behind Syaoran...

He seemed to have already known what I was thinking, because he chuckled (evilly) and stated, "Yes, well, I came to spy on them as well."

As well? Spy? What could he possibly... Grr... He was going to steal my job! And how did he know about the date? Did Syaoran tell him? "How did—" I started to ask, but he beat me to it.

"Sakura asked me to come to their "date" and give her some advice."

Sakura. My cousin. My best friend. How could she do this to me? Just go behind my back and... and... So _that's_ why they were talking before school in the morning. She was asking him to spy on the date while... while Syaoran was asking me to do the same thing! Oh my graciousness! Destined soul mates think alike! They were going to be the ultimate couple of the century! Ah hah! Muah hah! YES! YEAH!

"Ultimate _what_?" Erio—Hiiragizawa asked.

Crap. I've got to start controlling my thoughts before they slip out of my mouth. "Uh, it's nothing," I said breezily, waving my hand. I could barely see my hand in the dark. Oh yeah. We were still in the shed. With no light. In the dark. Alone. "Um... maybe we should get out of here," I suggested weakly. I sensed Hiiragizawa already moving, and I moved also—only to bump hard into him again. Jeez, if I were a bat I wouldn't survive more than a day. How do those little vampires do it? Perhaps I should ask Hiiragizawa... I backed away hastily, only to crash into some garden tools and creating a huge avalanche on the shelf above it. I only just got away as the ancient items fell. As I was saying...

"Here, let's turn on the lights," came Eriol's voice from behind me.

And suddenly... there was light.

Ah. It burns. Turn it off. No, don't. Just get me out of here. The light. I am such a wuss. Ahh.

"Tomoyo?" He _still_ calls me by my first name. I'm having a hard time getting used to it. "Hey, are you all right?" I turned to face him as I tried to open my eyes wide, but I still had to squint. He laughed a little at my efforts and I gave him a Daidouji Glare. Nobody laughs at Daidouji and gets away with it.

"Well then," I said lightly as soon as my eyes recovered. "I'm getting out of here." I stepped towards the old door and pushed the door. It didn't budge. I had to keep pushing and grunting and digging my heels in and everything to get that door to open—only, it wouldn't open. Haha, see the funniness there...? No. No, you don't. I don't either. The young man behind me only watched at my valiant (yet pathetic) efforts. I turned to him and gave him a sweet, sweet smile, saying, "Why don't you help me open this door?" You'd better get it open, buddy, or you won't have a very happy rescue-e here. He merely shrugged and stepped forward next to me to try opening the door.

Then I realized he had taken off his sunglasses. Once again, I was startled by the strange clarity of his blue eyes and how much different they seemed without those wire-rimmed sophisticated glasses covering them. Could he see without his glasses? How bad was his eyesight? Would he notice if I stuck a foot out to trip him?

Now, now, Tomoyo... you shouldn't be so mean to the man who just saved you from rabid henchmen.

Yet.

Why the heck wasn't the stupid door opening? I watched as even the big, strong Eriol Hiiragizawa couldn't open the old wooden thing. "Hey, Tomoyo?" he said after he gave up pushing the door. I only raised an eyebrow. He continued without looking at me, "Did you ever check if the door had, maybe, a door _handle_?"

...Okay. So what? Who cares if the door had a handle? It wasn't my problem!

Yes, I'm an idiot.

"Well, then," I huffed, marching over to him and pushing him aside with more strength than needed (yet he only budged a little) grabbed the door handle that was miraculously still attached to the wood. I gave it a gentle twist and...

Miraculously it was **not** attached to the wood anymore.

The now-broken handle dangled in my frozen hands as I stared at the very much useless door. Beside me, Hiiragizawa snorted softly in amusement. I whirled and glared at him. So what if it was my fault? He shouldn't be laughing at me either!

"It's okay, Tomoyo, we still have each other," Eriol Hiiragizawa offered in the silence. I think I would have preferred the silence right about then.

I forced myself not to pummel his face and stiffly marched to the other side of the shed—as far away from _him_ and that door as possible. And maybe there was a window here somewhere... so I could possibly escape. None. There were no windows in this crappy shed.

Great. I was stuck with Eriol Hiiragizawa in an ancient, abandoned shed for who knows how long (fifty years?) and had no idea when my mom was going to arrive home and find out I was gone. From the looks of it I was going to be in here for a long time—with Eriol Hiiragizawa. Alone. All alone. It was night. I was doomed.

"Tomoyo?"

That innocent, nerve-wracking voice... he was so annoying! I fought back a feral growl and grunted in response, not facing him.

He laughed lightly (a nice sounding laugh, interesting enough) and chided, "Now, now, you shouldn't be so cold to your rescuer." I merely shot him a look. He seemed _extremely_ happy. For what reason he could be happy I have no clue. What had gotten into him anyway? First he seems to hate me, then he says he wants to go out with me (what _is_ that? Does he _like_ me or something?) and then he starts acting all ignoring to me and then now... he's all friendly. What was it with his stupid mood swings? Is it guy PMS? Hmm... it's like he's interested in what I'm doing or something like that. Only, I couldn't quite place my finger on what it was... just like that scent earlier, I couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was about him...

When I started to glance at him again, I nearly screamed and jumped back. There—see that? There's the cause of my increased heart attack rates. Eriol—_Hiiragizawa_ was only a foot away from me, leaning his head quite close to mine, and his deep blue eyes—just searching into mine. It was... quite unnerving. Maybe he _was_ a stalker... or something. Perhaps even trying to give me a heart attack. Who knows? With someone as lying, cheating, arrogant, personality-switching, blue-eyes-piercing, utterly confusing as him, he could be _anything_.

Just then he grabbed my hand gently and leaned a little closer, an unreadable expression in his eyes as he stared at me. I didn't have time (nor the ability) to tell him to leave me alone because he said in a deep tone, "I know you probably hate me and never want to have anything to do with me after high school. But..." he took a deep breath and shifted his eyes above my head. "...I don't feel comfortable having such a bad relationship with someone like you. Because you're a nice person, under all that dorkiness, and I can't stand to have somebody nice hate me." He looked back at me with those deep blue eyes and gave me a smile. It was one of those _nice_ smiles again. And I was only confused by his words because they made me surprised, angry and a little happy at the same time. Not a very good combination let me tell you.

There had to be a reason he was saying all this. Only, I couldn't exactly tell...

"Tomoyo, will you be my friend?"

Ah.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, eleventh chapter down. It was quite spur-of-the-moment stuff I put in here. But that's okay, because spur-of-the-moment can be good. Only, I hope it's _really_ good... or good enough. Anyway, thank you so much for reading (and reviewing!) and I'll try to update as soon as possible (or ASAP as some LAZY people call it).**


	12. F is for Friends and Foes

**A/N: Hmm, it's been a while since I've updated, hasn't it? Well, without further ado...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Card Captors.**

**Chapter 12: F Is For Friends... and Foes

* * *

**

So here I was, so engrossed in the happenings of my oh-so-_wonderful_ life and all the little things in it, that I left Sakura and Syaoran quite alone in their own little world back at the café.

* * *

**Normal POV**

Sakura Kinomoto considered herself a reasonably levelheaded and sensible person.

For example, say, if she had a boyfriend (which she doesn't) and she'd caught a girl trying to win him over (and failing miserably, of course), she wouldn't confront the girl and give her a sound slap that would most likely put her back in her senses. No, no. That wouldn't be just at all.

It was _much_ too lenient.

She would beat the hell out of the slut, hand her over to the merciless clutches of her brother's hunting dogs (which he most likely didn't have, but that wasn't the point), then slap her around for good measure. Then she'd use her _special_ magical abilities to give the girl some hell (such as Illusion, Shadowy, a little bit of the basic elements, and a dash of Thunder). After that she would tell the girl firmly never to speak, touch, look, or _think_ about her boyfriend ever again. And if necessary, she'd stress _blackmail_ a bit more.

But of course, this was only an example.

She'd do _far_ worse than that.

Sakura was normally a sweet, kind, and loving person that could see no wrong in any person (unless they were to provoke her). However, she had a fierce attachment to those she loved, and if anybody were to hurt them, she would not hesitate as to punish them by her own means. The same goes to people who betray her trust, intentionally hurt her, and/or for some reason caused her to _just not like them._

But, with a few of these exceptions, Sakura considered herself a reasonably levelheaded and sensible person.

_If that's the case, _she thought pleasantly, _then why do I feel like punching the lights out of the next chit that tries to make eyes at **him**?_

She was sitting in the café across from Syaoran Li, her "boyfriend", and wondering why in the world the stupid ILS club had to come NOW of all times. Up until half an hour ago everything was going well, and she and Syaoran were even having a decent conversation (if it was called one)! A conversation! That meant no arguing, cursing and glaring for more than one whole sentence! It was a once in a lifetime in happening. And the ILS club had to _ruin_ it.

The brown-haired guy was fiddling with something around his wrist as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Sakura refrained from sighing in frustration. Things were not going according as planned. Syaoran was supposed to be acting like her "boyfriend". Not some nervous guy who was on his first date. Which was exactly how he was acting. It was not the right picture Sakura wanted to give the ILS club.

Some of the ILS members on the next table were ordering their third coffee: the others were simply glaring/staring at Sakura and Syaoran.

Syaoran glanced nervously at the fan club and then at the honey-haired girl before him, and touched his wrist again. The honey-haired girl glared at his wrist, daring him to touch it again.

He shifted and touched his wrist. Again.

That was it. Enough is enough.

Sakura, gritting her teeth, caught his eye and said loudly, "Let's go out." Loud enough for the ILS club to hear. Loud enough for the entire café to hear. He looked at her, blinked, and then nodded hastily. He seemed eager to be getting out of the awkward situation, as she did. _I wonder where Eriol went, _she wondered briefly as they got up. She decided to think about it later, when her own problems were taken care of. When she got out her wallet to pay for her food, a large hand plucked the wallet out of her hands.

She blinked and looked up to see Syaoran pointedly raising an eyebrow at her. She blinked again and frowned. What was he up to? He got out his own wallet and left a generous sum of money in the check (she was certain he gave a little more than necessary). When he handed her wallet back, she took it, but raised her eyes again when he didn't let go of it.

His chocolate eyes startled her slightly by their seriousness. "I'll be paying tonight," he told her. Sakura was surprised, but opened her mouth to protest. "No," he said quite firmly. "I asked you out, and you agreed. It's a privilege for me to pay for everything you want. Got it?"

This time Sakura didn't protest, but could only nod dumbly. He let her take the wallet, but she barely noticed anything until they walked out of the café. They stood in front of the café and an awkward silence came upon them. Crowding just behind the doors, the ILS girls were angrily and curiously staring at them, wondering what they were going to do.

"Um..." Syaoran said, breaking the silence. "So what do you want to do?" Sakura was stilldazed from her shock, but quickly composed her thoughts.

"Oh... um... uh..." was her intelligent reply. She mentally searched her brain for some inspiration and brightened. "Oh! We can watch movie!" She glanced at her watch furtively was relieved to find it was still early before her brother's set curfew for her. She looked at Syaoran, who was looking at her before he quickly looked away. "Well?" she prompted. "Do you want to?"

He nodded. "Sure. Let's go."

Then there was another awkward silence. Only this time, it was because of embarrassment. Sakura blushed because she knew there was something they had to do now (well, pretty soon) and she was turning red at the very thought of it. Syaoran was very red because he knew what they were supposed to do and the thought that he really _wanted_ to do it made him blush.

"We should, um, hold each other's, er, hands..." Sakura tried to say calmly. "That way it looks like we're actually going out... you know, since the ILS club is trailing us." That seemed to clear away most of the awkwardness. Syaoran slowly took her outstretched hand, swallowing. Sakura cleared her throat and nodded. "Okay. Let's go." And they went.

Hand in hand.

_Hmmm... your hand is warm. _

Sakura let her lips curve into a reluctant smile. Maybe... maybe things would turn out right after all.

* * *

**Tomoyo's POV**

There are times when you look at yourself and suddenly realize that you're **real**. Really real. As in, alive-and-breathing real.

And then there are times when you really wish you weren't.

"...Tomoyo, I love ice cream."

These are one of those times.

"Well, Tomoyo, what do you prefer? I go more for the brighter ones. You know, the ones that almost seem to shine and emanate with a natural aura. They have that sort of _lure_ that just makes you _want_ to get it. You know what I mean?" Eriol Sir Talk-A-Lot Hiiragizawa shot a charming grin at me. I noticed he was still wearing his cap, which looked odd with his black dress shirt and designer jeans. I momentarily reflected on my own outfit, which made me look horribly like a woman in her mid-fifties with no fashion sense whatsoever. Oh well. It's not as if I always have to dress nicely. Because I've got my bag full of normal clothes right...

Shoot. I left it at the café. I'm doomed to wear atrocious clothes the whole evening.

"Hey. Tomoyo?" Eriol gave me a questioning look.

I refrained from sighing and looked at him. He looked like he didn't really care whether I was here or in la la land. "What?" I replied dully.

He smiled brightly. "You know what I mean, right?"

I returned his smile with a dull, impassive face and raised an eyebrow. "No, I don't know, Eriol." He only half-smiled and nodded sagely.

"Yes, yes, well, most people aren't able to catch the essence of what it truly means to know exactly what beckons you—what calls you. It's a primal instinct, almost, which, of course, not many people possess, but..."

Do you see what I mean? I'm sinking in the clutches of Eriol's "_friendly_" treatment. Yeah, that's right. _Friendly_. Eriol Hiiragizawa, King of All That's Important In High School, is being friendly with _me_, Tomoyo Daidouji, Lord of the Dorks. There's something not very right going on here. I mean, after all the arguing, hating, betting, double-crossing, humiliating, and just _not happy stuff_ we've been doing, it just doesn't seem psychologically right for us to suddenly become friends.

Yes. That is correct. I am _friends_ with Eriol Hiiragizawa.

Where has this world come to?

It happened like this. Eriol (because now that we're friends he insists on us calling each other by our first names... like friends) asked me to be his friend. I, being struck speechless, couldn't answer right away. When he asked me again, I said yes and then BAM we were fast friends. Just like that.

But I wasn't fooled. There had to be a catch. I mean, one cannot become friends with a former enemy all in the place of _five seconds_. It's just... not possible. At least, not in the world _I_ know. It wasn't right. It was way too easy. If making friends were that easy, nobody in the world would be friendless. It was just the way it is. The way of _life_, you know.

_How could I be Eriol Hiiragizawa's friend? _

Well, it's not really that I hate him like I used to. In fact, I might not have hated him even _before_ all this craziness. He's a decent sort of guy... when he's not being arrogant and mean. He never cheated on any of his girlfriends (at least, I _think_ he didn't). He's best friends with Syaoran Li—and Syaoran hated his _guts_ back when they were kids! If his own best friend hated him before becoming friends, then I guess that says... a lot about being friends with Eriol. And Syaoran Li was going to be Sakura's husband, which meant he'll be my cousin-in-law, which also means I'll be close to Eriol... But not _that_ close! He wasn't even related to me! No! Of course not!

...And why was I thinking about this? It wasn't like we were best friends. I was only stating some pros of being his friend. Yeah. Just a list...

Oh my goodness, I'm making a list of reasons why I should/shouldn't be his freaking friend? How pathetic was _that_? (Apparently very)

But I need the list, damn it.

Okay, continuing with the list. He's good looking. Whoa, where did that come from? Okay, so maybe he _is_ very good looking. And he's funny, witty, charming, and very nice when he wants to be. And... he called off the bet at his own accord! Right! That was a very good pro. Hmm... and he seemed to want to get Syaoran and Sakura together. That was a definite plus.

All right. He makes a good friend. I made the right decision in becoming his friend. I was totally right. And besides, he saved my life not too long ago.

Yup. Positively "good friend" material we got here. I was all in for it.

"...should have seen it! It was the best tasting mozzarella cheese I'd _ever_ tasted in my entire life. Mhmm. Scrumptious! Oh! And they served the _best_ ice cream. It was cold and satisfying and just..."

Yes, I was glad that we were friends now. Except, it would be really nice if said friend didn't keep talking my ears off so I could probably die of boredom.

"...couldn't believe how delicious it was—**Tomoyo**!"

Eriol was suddenly looking at me with intense azure eyes and a serious expression on his face. I blinked and stared at him. What was wrong with him?

"Yes?" I said, giving him my undivided attention. He was still looking intently at me, and it was starting to get a little uncomfortable (even though he was my friend).

"Tomoyo," he said again, and he stepped forward... towards the useless-locked door. "I... have the sudden urge to... eat ice cream," he said with deliberate preciseness, his eyes still on me. I had the sudden urge to bang my head on the wall (behind me, not the one covered with old tools).

I sighed and tried to seek the heavens as I looked up, only to see the moldy, mossy ceiling of the prison we were currently in. I said patiently, "Eriol, there's a reason why we're in this old, moldy, dirty place. It's because—"

"I was rescuing you from those nice FBI-agent looking guys that weren't really nice?" he interrupted pleasantly.

"—the very old door was locked and the handle is broken," I continued without a beat. "So basically we're _locked in_. That means—"

"I can _unlock_ the door and get us out," he interjected smartly.

"—you can't go out to get your ice cream," I finished edgily, slightly glaring at him. Great, five minutes as friends and I'm already getting mad at him. Aren't we off to a great and promising start? And I don't even know why I'm getting pissed at him. But the way he was just... acting so carefree about this whole situation was starting to annoy me.

He only smiled casually at me, which deepened my glare. He shrugged and stated with a cheery tone, "I _said_ I could get us out of here, but then, if you don't want to go home, then I suppose there's nothing I can do about it."

Urgh. He's _really_ bugging me. Just why was he so giddy? "_Well_ then," I said sweetly, beaming widely at him, "why didn't you unlock the door before?" I leaned forward. "You know. When the door kind of broke _five minutes_ _ago_?" I dropped all pretence of my smile and returned to glaring at him.

Of course, he only smiled at me, or at my antics. "The FBI agent-looking guys might have still been out there looking for you," he answered smoothly. Oooh. Touché. I knew he had a point there. He spread his arms wide and smiled disarmingly. "Can you blame me for wanting to be as careful as possible, my friend?"

Ugh. Why did he have to go and use that _innocent_ tone of his? It wasn't fooling anybody from what I could see (because I was the only one he wasn't fooling!) and it was really, _really_ annoying me.

He began to hum an unrecognizable tune.

Like I said. Really, _reeeally_ annoying.

I crossed my arms and gritted out, "Fine. By now they must be gone. Unlock the door." Now.

He chuckled deeply, making him seem undeniably attractive (but I was unmoved by such acts) and shook his head slightly. "Tomoyo, my friend, you _just_ said I couldn't get out. What makes you think I could possibly unlock the door _now_?" He was smooth. He was undeniably smooth as well as attractive with that deep chuckle of his and suave comebacks. But I was not impressed. Not at all.

I scowled. "I was wrong. Open the door!"

"Nah ah ah," he said with a half-smirk, which made me want to tear off his face and break his nose. (Just a tad violent moment there). "You should be a little nicer to your friend, Tomoyo," he admonished gently. He smirked. Obviously _somebody_ knows they're winning. Winning exactly what I'm not very sure, but all I knew was that I was losing and he was happy.

I glared at him and said reluctantly, "I was wrong, Eriol... and I'm sorry. _Please_ open the door." So that I can finally get a peace of mind, I added mentally.

He seemed to know what I was thinking, because he looked terribly amused. But never the less, he finally said, "Whatever you say, Tomoyo." And suddenly, he was opening the door, which looked as if it was never jammed or locked in the first place. Blinking, I stepped out and marveled at the fact that I was actually outside, breathing in fresh air instead of the musty stale scent of the tool house. It felt good to be free from those four, small, confined, claustrophobic walls.

Eriol stood in front of me, blocking my path. My short-lived joy slowly sank as I eyed him warily. "Come, Tomoyo. As a friend you should come with me to eat ice cream. After all, you owe me quite a bit." With this he directed a charismatic smile at me, and before I could do or say anything, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me after him. Of course, since he was stronger than me, I didn't bother to struggle. So I settled for just glaring confusedly at his back. I didn't even notice that we were out of the park and walking along the town street because he was _talking_ the whole entire time.

I didn't say a word when we reached a small ice cream shop at the corner of a block and entered, the small bell above us ringing cheerfully. I was feeling anything but cheerful. And I bet I looked just as I felt.

I looked down at my wrist, where Eriol's hand was still wrapped around. For a moment I considered my options. I could either stay with Eriol and eat ice cream and possibly have a headache from listening to his incessant chatter in the morning, or I could wrench my arm away from his loose grip and make a break for it, running towards freedom and sanity. Hmm, decisions, decisions. Well, I'm think I'm going to have to go with the latter. A tough decision, I know, of course, but I _quite_ wanted to go home at this point.

Before I could go through with my new course of action, Eriol's hand tightened and he tugged, causing me to step forward. Rats. I swear he's reading my mind or something. He grinned brightly at me (See? He's reading my mind, that creep!) and waved at the rows of ice cream cartons in the long container. "What would you like? Choose any flavor you like, Tomoyo," he said grandly. I sighed quietly at this, but seeing as I didn't have much of a choice, I stepped forward to look at the different ice cream flavors before me.

When I looked down at the varieties of ice cream cartons, it struck me suddenly that I hadn't had ice cream in a very long time. The last time I'd had one was during the early summer, when Sakura bought me a vanilla cone. But I didn't like vanilla very much. Or at least _that_ particular one; I thought it tasted a little like metal. My eyes scanned over the labels of the ice cream. Dark chocolate, double fudge, icy mint, rainbow, rocky road, thunder and lightning, strawberry, mocha almond fudge... I halted. Mocha almond fudge. I briefly remembered the first time I had it a few years ago when there was a sale at the grocery. It was cheaper than the ice cream here, and in it's own little carton, but it was _so_ good. I could already taste it... the sweet, yet dark aroma and the sensational aura that seemed to surround it like a glow... its natural glow, of course...

Wait. Did I just say that? I sounded like Eriol for a moment back there. Huh, he must be rubbing off me. Is it because of this 'friends' thing?

"Hey," Eriol's voice suddenly interrupted my thoughts. He looked a little amused as he said, "Did you pick one? What is it? Is it really good? It must be, since you're about to drool." I immediately shut my mouth (which was actually salivating much to my embarrassment) and nodded jerkily. A quirk lifted the corner of his mouth. "Well... what is it?" he prompted when I didn't say anything.

I hastily told him my choice. After he paid for the ice cream (he got a weird looking ice cream that I don't think I'll comment on) he looked at my own ice cream, frowned slightly as if judging whether it was good or bad, and then finally nodded in approval. I actually felt a little glad. It sounds silly to think that his approval of my choice in an ice cream flavor would affect me... but it did. It really did. And I didn't feel silly at all.

There's a reason why I'm called Lord of the Dorks.

Ice cream really is very yummy.

* * *

"So, Tomoyo," Eriol presently said after we'd eaten half our cones. We were walking back to my house, because I decided that it was time for me to get home before anybody noticed. It was a good thing for me that my mother wasn't home. We decided not to check up on Sakura and Syaoran at the café because Eriol was pretty sure they wouldn't be there. I had a good feeling they weren't either. Oooh... lovey dovey things I think they are doing, yes I do. "How do you feel about the upcoming Festival?" he asked, taking a bite of his weird, unmentionable ice cream.

I nearly choked on my sugar cone. I'd _completely_ forgotten about the Winter Festival. And Drama. Oh my goodness, the Drama play! How could I forget? I was going to be _in_ the freaking play! All this came rushing back to me in an alarming rate, making me dizzy. There was a drama meeting tomorrow after school. That much I remembered. I silently breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness I'd been reminded before tomorrow. Then my eyes narrowed. I remembered Eriol being in the play as well. In fact, we would be working together.

I slowly turned to look at the blue-eyed guy, who was currently inhaling his last bite of cone. He saw me looking at him and raised his eyebrows. After swallowing unhurriedly he half-smiled. "Yes?" he asked me. I continued to look at him, trying to judge whether he was trustworthy or not. I don't know why I'm suddenly having doubts about him. I mean, well, it wasn't that long ago when he gave that little speech about how great he was (when he really isn't) and how happy I should be to be able to work beside him. Yeah, not very encouraging memories, especially if he's supposed to be my friend now.

"Tomoyo."

I looked up at him. There was something in his eyes that told me he knew exactly what I was thinking about. Actually, maybe he really _did_ know what I was thinking about. Huh, talk about _creepy_. He held my eyes a bit longer, and when I thought he wasn't going to say anything, he stepped toward me. We weren't that far apart in the first place, so that step took him a bit much into my personal space. So I stepped a little back.

I heard him sigh a little. What was he trying to do anyways? Was he intimidating me by stepping toward me? But why would he need to do that? And... he was saying something. "...be of inconvenience," he finished, avoiding my eyes for what seemed like the first time tonight. I blinked.

"Um, Eriol?" I said sheepishly, "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. What did you say?" He gave me a slightly surprised look, but then blinked and flashed me a smile.

He took in a breath before saying, "I know I haven't been the nicest guy to you in the past, and you probably don't even like me that much right now, but I can't get into my house tonight and I need a place to stay. Would you be so kind as to invite me to your house? I can sleep in your living room...?" he trailed off, looking at me with a slightly hopeful expression.

I was _so_ close to gasping in astonishment I was surprised I didn't make any sound at all. Eriol Hiiragizawa was actually asking me if he could come over to _my_ house. Was he really the same Eriol I knew? Was he the same guy that had goaded me into making a bet with him in the beginning of the year? Was he really, really Eriol Hiiragizawa—_the_ Eriol Hiiragizawa, Evil Magician and Bastard Extraordinaire?

I looked at him again and saw the deep, azure orbs gazing back.

Yup. He was the same Eriol Hiiragizawa all right. The windows to his soul could not lie to me. I was all seeing... and all intelligent... and all smart. Or not.

Leave me alone. I've had a hard night. And day. And come to think of it, I've had it hard this whole week.

Heh. Why stop at the week? I had a hard _life_.

Oh, wait. Eriol. I've got to answer his question. I sighed a bit before replying, "Yes, I guess you can come over. But..." I tried to think of a way to say "you aren't really going to score any points with me just because I invited you over to my house because I still don't trust you completely and I'm not sure I want to yet" without being a _little_ rude. But Eriol beat me to it.

"If I'm being too much of an inconvenience," he said seriously, albeit a little amusedly, "you can kick me into the garage." I blinked.

I was not going to tell him that we didn't have a garage.

"Okay," I agreed, nodding slowly. "So..." I smiled at him brightly just as he'd done to me. "Let's get going." He nodded and let me lead him to the way to my house. He seemed to think that me letting him come to my house was a sign of great sacrifice (because believe me, it was) because he didn't say a single word the entire way there. For some reason, I felt gratified to be Eriol Hiiragizawa's friend for the first time this evening.

…

...Eriol Hiiragizawa is sleeping over my house. This is surreal. He's actually coming over to my house. I bet no girl in the entire school had Eriol Hiiragizawa over at her house. I bet _I'm_ the first. This was the first time _any_ guy's slept over my house. Oh my goodness. He's going to spend the night at MY house.

I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.

What have I gotten myself into?

* * *

"This is the bathroom," I motioned as Eriol trailed silently behind me. I was leading him to a guest room on the second floor, which happened to be in the complete opposite direction from my own room (ironically). It was kind of weird showing him the way around my house because, well, it was the first time I'd done that with any guy. Of course, Syaoran doesn't count because he was going to be Sakura's future husband, so I didn't mind telling him where my bedroom was or where the mini kitchen was. But Eriol... well, let's just say that I wasn't as "buddy-buddy" with him as I was with Syaoran. I just didn't _know_ him very well, to be honest.

And besides, he didn't say a single word the entire time from when I led him into the house until now. How can I be the slightest bit comfortable, never less "buddy-buddy", with a guy that I barely knew (as a friend) and didn't even bother to speak up? Therefore, it was a bit discouraging to be very friendly.

Okay, maybe I'm being hypocritical. I'm happy if he doesn't talk, and I say I feel uncomfortable when he isn't talking. I'm being unfair.

I'd reached the guest room by now. Oh good. Now I can just walk away, get a good night's sleep and never wake up until he leaves in the morning... and then maybe I'll have a better idea of what's going on. Yeah, I'll just go to sleep and everything will be all right in the morning.

"Tomoyo..." I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't hear him say anything as I turned to go to my room. He suddenly took hold of my elbow, and at the shock of his touch I spun around so quickly his hold almost dislodged (and I almost fell flat on my face). The hall was semi-dark so it was hard to see his face. A déjà vu from the tool house flashed in my mind, and I subconsciously edged back a bit. No unpleasant memories for me, thank you very much.

"I was wondering," he said after a moment, and releasing his hold on me. "At the basketball tournament, when you were playing... I noticed you were wearing a necklace." He paused, and I blinked, trying to catch on to what he was talking about. "I believe," he continued, "it was a butterfly pendant. Unless my memory is incorrect, the details of the pendant were very expensive and possibly priceless." I stared up at his general direction, wondering why he was so interested in that.

"What does my necklace have anything to do with you?" I asked him a little suspiciously. I think he smiled a little, which frustrated me unreasonably. Because we all know what Eriol's smile does to me. And _no_, nothing like _that_. Sickos.

"Well, the properties of the pendant seemed to tell me that it contained some very old and ancient magic," he informed me matter-of-factly. He tilted his head as I opened my mouth to say something. "Being a magician... or ex-magician, lets you know these kinds of things," he mused, answering my almost-question. I nodded in comprehension. Of course. He was a magician. How could I forget? After all, the things he did with his magic was not very hard to remember (something that included rubber duckies, the principal at Tomoeda Middle School, and a whole lot of water...)

A short silence stretched between us. I suddenly wondered whether the maids were awake. Would any of them be eavesdropping on us right now? I glanced surreptitiously at the dark corners of the hallway. It felt suddenly uncomfortable, standing in that dim hallway with only Eriol. I felt I needed an escape. "Um," I said, and Eriol looked at me. "Well, I guess I'll just... let you sleep." I rocked back on my heels slowly, and smiled at nothing in particular. "Good night," I finally said. I turned and stepped quickly down the hall. I didn't stop or slow down until I reached my bedroom suite. When I reached the door to my room, I released a sigh of relief to relieve the slight tension that had gathered during those awkward moments with Eriol. Now I could just rest and forget about all this stress...

"Tomoyo."

I was about to shriek but a hand clamped over my mouth and I felt an all-too familiar presence directly behind me. And who else could it be but Eriol? Of course. Wherever there's Tomoyo in the creepy dark, there's Eriol to come to her rescue. (Or is it rescue...?) I felt his warm breath grazing my left ear and swallowed. I had the sudden urge to turn around with his arms around me and do something unimaginable. But I fought down that urge until I couldn't feel it anymore. It was nothing. My hormones were just reacting to his close (but unwanted) proximity. That was all. Nothing more. Really.

He dropped his hand from my mouth and waited until I turned around to face him to speak. Of course, it was still dark so I couldn't see his facial expression. But I could hear the ever-present amusement in his voice. "Well, well, you're the jumpy one, aren't you?" I bit back a retort. _He_ was one to say that. After all, it was because of _him_ that I was so paranoid. He cocked his head. "Paranoid?" Oops. I actually said that out loud? "No, I wouldn't call you that. Because you aren't so uneasy around Syaoran or Yamazaki, or even Kei." He leaned slightly forward and half-whispered, "I'd say... you were more of **nervous**. And, I'm afraid, you're nervous only around _me_." I held my breath when he leaned forward even more, almost a few inches away from my face. "Now why is that?" he asked softly.

I swallowed. I didn't know what he was talking about (not exactly) and I couldn't see why he had to get so close to make his point in whatever he was talking about because I was extremely overwhelmed. Perhaps it was because I wasn't used to any guy getting so close to my face with me having to hurt them. Or maybe it was because of his scent...? It was that unique aroma that filled my noise right before he rescued me back in the woods. A mix of fresh shampoo, some cologne, and that one smell I couldn't quite put my finger on... It was something I smelled almost every day of my entire life. And yet I never knew it to be on a person before... I couldn't figure out what it was.

And it was driving me crazy.

No, not in the "love" driving-me-crazy-kind-of-way. It was... really, honest-to-goodness, mentally-going-crazy kind of crazy. He was confusing my mind so much that I didn't know what to think.

Wait. Why is he doing this? It's almost like he's trying to do something... Well, no _duh_ he's trying to do something, Tomoyo. I mean, come on. Then... what is he doing? He was my _friend_, it wasn't like he was... oh... wait, no... oh no...

Eriol wasn't trying to _seduce_ me, was he?

...heh. Eh heh. Haha. Ahahaha! Oh, good one, Tomoyo! That was great. _Eriol_ trying to seduce _me..._Hah!Ah, how rich. I'm a comedian, _really_. I mean, who _else_ could be so funny as to say something as funny as _that..._?

Heh... Eriol seducing me. Pha ha! Hhm, yes, very funny. Very hilarious, indeed.

Or was it? (Why do I keep asking myself questions?) I looked up at him, trying to see his eyes. What was he thinking right now? Would I even want to know what went on in his head?

...Um, actually, I wouldn't.

I heard him sigh a little, which confused me even more. Why did he sigh? Was he done seducing me? (AHAHAHA!) Was he getting tired of my muteness? Or maybe he was tired himself. I know. That happens to me a lot. "Hey, Tomoyo, I want to ask you a question. Other than the one I just asked," he began calmly. I, on the other hand, wasn't very calm.

I forced myself to ask _calmly_, "What is it?"

"How did you learn how to play basketball?"

I blinked. "What?" I choked out. That was it? That was the reason why he was acting so abnormally weird around me? To ask how I learned to play basketball?

He shifted. "At the tournament, you played much better than I'd expected," he explained. "So I was curious to know how you knew how to play." I think I could sense him shrug. It suddenly occurred to me that I didn't even bother turning on the lights and made everything so much simpler. I was _so_ dumb. I was about to move towards the hallway light switch, when he spoke. "As a boy's varsity basketball team captain, it's a little _embarrassing_ to be shown up by a mere girl who has no athletic history whatsoever." There was a hint of dryness in his tone that I found a little funny. But then, it shouldn't have been funny because he _insulted_ me. No matter if it's true. I had to take offence in what little dignity I had left.

I lifted my chin and said haughtily, "Just because you happen to be the team captain of the varsity team doesn't mean you're better than _everybody_. In fact," I went on with more vehemence as I saw a corner of his mouth lift, "I bet I can show you up **_again_**." Yeah, buster, that's right! AGAIN. I was so caught up in my energy that I didn't hear the amused chuckle he gave. But I did hear him snort with derision. I think I blushed a little. For the first time I was glad it was still dark. And then I wondered again why the hell I didn't turn on the stinking lights. Why wasn't I doing anything right?

"Well, Tomoyo, my friend," he drawled, "I accept your challenge. Though," he added as an afterthought, "I never knew I'd live to see the day Tomoyo Daidouji actually willingly made a bet with _me_, Eriol Hiiragizawa." Oh ho ho.

I rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see it. "I never did either, Eriol." I sighed and turned around to open my door. "Wait here. I'm going to dress," I told him over my shoulder. Then, just as I entered my room, I remembered something. I turned around and saw Eriol inconspicuously glancing into my room. "Hey," I said, drawing his attention to me. "Um... Are you going to be playing in that?" I pointed to his Abercrombie outfit.

He looked down at himself and looked back up at me with a questioning look. "Yeah, I guess I will be." Then his expression turned into a half smirk and he added suggestively, "Unless, you don't _want_ me to wear them..." He wiggled his eyebrows. I was torn between being outraged and amused. Of course, being me, I decided to be both.

I rolled my eyes, this time so he could see me. "Fine." Just as I was about to turn, I saw his slightly wistful expression and halted. I couldn't just leave him out here in the dark hallway. That would be just plain rude. No matter that he was Eriol Hiiragizawa. He was a guest in my house, and my manners were a lot better at home than anywhere else. I sighed a little and told him, "I supposed you can come in if you want..." I saw him perk up a little at this and added warningly, "But don't touch, don't look, and don't think about anything in here, got it? I've got security cameras." Even after the warning he didn't seem fazed at all. He only nodded, smilingly, and followed me into the room.

After making sure he was not going to look or touch anything, I left the sitting room and went into my private bedroom, which had all of my clothes. I locked the door (just a precaution, you know) and began searching for appropriate clothes to play basketball in. It was actually quite silly. The basketball "challenge", not the searching for appropriate clothes thing. It was a little stupid on my part to have challenged him to a game of _basketball_, which happened to be one of the sports he excelled at the most (note, he's the _captain_ of it). And it was very, very stupid on _his_ part to have accepted my stupid challenge. After all this time I'm surprised we didn't learn a little from making/accepting bets.

Ah well. It's all good. As long as it's defending my pride and dignity... I'm all for it. I've got to be _enthusiastic_. I have to have energy! After all, I'm the one who started it.

I was beginning to feel a little anxious. What were the consequences of losing against him? It would be impossible to win, seeing as I didn't know how to play as well as he did (no matter how much I pretended). Did he take the bet seriously? Oh no... what if he _did_? What have I gotten myself in to?

I rushed into the sitting room five minutes later, wearing black basketball shorts, a plain white t-shirt, and black and white gym shoes (matching, eh? That's me, being a fashion designer). I was putting my long hair into a ponytail as I entered the room. Eriol was sitting on the sofa (with his cap off), as quiet and well behaved, as I never thought he would. Well, it wasn't like I was expecting him to open drawers and all that... actually, I kind of _did_, but that's not really the point. The point is... that he's staring at me as if I'd just grown three heads or something. Or maybe he's just losing his sanity. I'd understand that. (It happens all the time with me)

Unsurely, I waved a hand in front of his face. He blinked and shook his head slightly. To my confusion, he muttered things silently under his breath as he stood up quickly. What the heck was up with him? Was the lack of sleep getting to him? Actually, I didn't know if he wasn't getting any sleep or not. But I sometimes looked like he was right now when _I_ didn't get any sleep. "Hey, um, we can go down to the gym," I said uncertainly, his manner still baffling me. His eyes finally seemed to focus and he flashed a quick smile at me.

"Of course, Tomoyo," he said grandly. I blinked at his reaction. Oookay. So much for lack of sleep. Maybe he was just going through some weird phase. Goodness knows I go through that a lot. "Well," he said, motioning to the door, "lead the way, my lady." He bowed slightly, a quirk on his lips. I got over my confusion and quickly stepped toward the door, not wanting him to see just how confused he'd made me.

Because he certainly didn't need any _more_ advantage over me. I was already uncomfortable as it was.

* * *

"Here we are," I said simply as we entered through the gym doors. Eriol looked around the large gym carefully, his dark blue eyes observing every detail. I watched him closely to see if there was any sign of approval or disapproval, but I couldn't tell what he was thinking from his expression, so I gave up. Walking over to the storage room, I looked over the basketball hoop to make sure it was up all the way and that the lights were all on. When I came back with a couple of basketballs, Eriol was rolling up his sleeves and unbuttoning his shirt slightly. I averted my eyes. When he was finished I tossed him a ball, and began warming up.

I realized he'd left his cap back in my room. Hmm, smart choice. Never mind that he could have been at a slight disadvantage with the hat on than without it against me, and I would have had a **fair** chance.

"So, what are the rules?" he said after we'd dribbled for a while. I considered my chances against him and what were the best ways I could win (I never said I was honorable: dignified and prideful, yes, but never honorable). Since he did ask me what the terms were, it wasn't exactly _unfair_, but more of _his fault_. Yes, honorable is definitely not one of my few virtues.

Finally, I decided on what terms the game would be.

"We'll play up to twenty points. There will be no penalties, or fouls, but check on the other person if you step over the boundary line or travel." I paused and tried to find any loopholes or misinterpretations in my terms, and was satisfied. I nodded at him. "Agreed?" I asked him. In my mind, I was saying that it didn't matter what he thought. But of course, I'm a nice person when I want to be, so I let him have his choice.

He gazed at me in silence, his eyes fixed on mine, and I grew extremely uncomfortable. He looked like he was thinking hard about what I'd said, but with Eriol, I really couldn't tell. And it was kind of freaking me out. That's why when he barely nodded I hastily exclaimed, "Okay, let's play!" I glanced at his ball and then at mine, which looked worse (mine). "We'll use yours," I said when he glanced questioningly at me.

I tossed my ball on to the ground, and just as I turned to get into position, Eriol blurred past me and before I could even blink, scored an easy two-pointer.

...That was the cheapest trick if I ever saw one. Eriol Hiiragizawa actually blatantly and deliberately cheated. In front of ME. Well. Fine. If he wanted to play that way, then I was totally for it. Tomoyo Daidouji NEVER backs down. EVER.

He gave me a mischievous smirk as he checked me. I barely gave him time to move when I darted past him and shot a lovely three-pointer. Boo-yah. Eat that, _sucker_. I returned his slightly incredulous expression with my own smirk, throwing him the ball. If he could be cheap, then damn it, so could I. Just watch me.

The heat of competition was already rising, and the game's just started.

* * *

**Five minutes later**

I watched open-mouthed as Eriol shot the ball from the middle of the court. It went in. That made Eriol the winner, 20-18. I lost. I'd actually lost. And that shocked me because for a moment back there I really thought I was going to win this. I actually _believed_ that. But look what happened. Eriol won. I lost.

Ah. Failure is a disappointment that I'd rather not experience again, no matter what those morals say. Who cares about whether losing means I gain... something or other... I don't care! I just wanted to win! I want to win! Win! WIN! And what sucked was that he'd cheated less than I did. Ah.

I shot Eriol a dirty look while his back was turned. When he turned with the ball in his hand, my glare wiped off and I looked passively at nothing in particular. No need for him to know that I was a (very much) sore loser. I was still a bit out-of-breath, and more than a little sticky with sweat, so I went over to the wall and sat on the ground, cradling a water bottle. Eriol, who was sweating also, I noted with satisfaction (though not as much as me), walked towards me, holding his bottle. I didn't bother to look at him as he sat down against the wall a few feet away from me, sighing. We sat there in silence for a couple of minutes.

Suddenly, he asked out of the blue, "Do you love Len Muraki?"

It took me a couple seconds to register what he'd said, and another few seconds to realize what he'd said, and another several seconds to get over the shock of realizing what he'd said. "Wh-what?" I stuttered intelligently, staring at him with my mouth slightly open. I could barely comprehend what he'd said (even after all those seconds).

He looked straight ahead as he repeated, "Do you love Len Muraki?"

I blushed. "I know what you said, it's just... I didn't really... get it," I muttered, taking my eyes off him. Wait. Why in the world was he asking me that? I mean, that was a totally random thing to say... wasn't it? I thought maybe he'd be in a really good mood to mock my basketball skills and how much better than me he was. But, no. Instead, he had to ask me... about something very out-of-subject and kind of personal. I looked at him again, this time with more focus (instead of the fish-mouthed gaze), "Why do you want to know?" I asked slowly, watching his side profile closely.

He merely smiled a little, still not moving his gaze from the wall ahead of him. "You said he was your boyfriend," he explained with a slight shrug, "so it's possible that you might love him." I frowned a little. He still remembered Len and the little boyfriend thing back at the café? Hmm, I'd almost forgotten... Oh my. I'd almost forgotten about _Len_! Wh-How—that's terrible of me! I mean, he's the best guy/potential boyfriend that I know and I forgot about him for _half_ a day. I should be daydreaming about him and smiling at all the things he said to me. But instead...

I'm here with Eriol, who's spending the night over at my house. Am I being unfaithful to Len? He _did_ say he was my boyfriend... and he kissed my hand. And yet... I forgot about him the whole afternoon and most of the night because of... Eriol. How ironic was that?

Okay, wait. I keep forgetting (I'm forgetting a lot, aren't I?) that Eriol and I are **friends**. I've got to keep that in mind. I've got to remember that he's my friend and he wouldn't want to do anything to harm me, or jeopardize our friendship (which _would_ happen if he harmed me). And besides, there was no way he could harm me right now.

I tilted my head back and let the cool bottle rest on my forehead. After a moment I answered carefully, "Yes, I said that. And yeah... um, he is my _boy_friend..." I paused. "But I don't exactly love him. At least, I don't think I do." At my uncertainty Eriol raise an eyebrow. I hurriedly explained, "Because, you know, I don't think I know what love is. Well, it sounds cliché, but I really don't think I'm at that stage where I know what true love is and what it means to be in love." I smiled a little and went on a little amusedly, "I don't even think I'll ever _be_ in love until I'm married." And maybe even after that. I dropped my bottle and sighed. "So, yeah. No, Eriol, I don't love him." There. As a friend should, I told him more than I ever meant to. That's perfect. Way to go, Tomoyo.

He was looking at me while I said my little speech about love, but went back to staring at the wall when I turned to look at him. I wanted to know why he wanted to know whether I loved Len or not. Which is, of course, natural for me to feel. I mean, I should be curious. I have the right to know what Eriol's thinking... right? As a friend, that is.

I'm beginning to think being Eriol's friend is a lot more complicated than being his enemy.

"Hey, Eriol," I said after we didn't say anything for a few moments. He inclined his head slightly toward me. Fine then. Don't look at me. Stare at the wall. I pursed my lips and asked him, "Do you live by yourself?"

I saw him blink and turn his head to look at me. Ah. _Finally_. His voice seemed a little surprised as he responded, "What?"

Oooh. Did I make Eriol speechless? I actually caught the great King of calmness and unperturbed-ness off-guard? Go me! But I didn't revel in my success too long. "I meant, where's your family? You must have lived with them before you moved here, right?" I told him reasonably. His expression gradually turned from surprised to comprehension and then finally something between passive and... sadness? My chest lurched with... guilt? Or something like that. What if his family was a personal issue with him? I mean, sure, he may have asked _me_ a personal question, but it wasn't anything _near_ family problems. I could have hit a sore spot in him or brought up something traumatic from the past. I could have... oh, gosh, Tomoyo you're an idiot (no surprise there, actually). I could have at least thought before I asked such a question. Jeez, I am such a great friend.

I watched him in half earnest, half apprehension, as he thought about what to say. It was nothing short of frustrating. He looked down at the ground, rolling the basketball slowly. Then he looked back at the wall before him and frowned. Then he glanced at me and sighed. But just as he opened his mouth to say something, I cut in, "No, wait." He looked at me again, his eyes questioning. I took a deep breath, saying softly, "You don't have to tell me. It was wrong of me to just ask. I don't—have the right to know about... any of your personal life." I fixed my eyes on my legs and waited for his reaction.

I didn't look at him even as he released a breath. Was he sighing of relief? Was he glad that I didn't further question him? Or maybe... I don't know. I'm too worn out by my thoughts. It wasn't until I heard movement did I look over at him. He was sitting up now, his back away from the wall and his head fully turned toward me. I saw something in his eyes that made me sit up as well. It was a look that I hadn't seen on him before. It was as if his eyes were trying to tell me something... but I wasn't getting it. Then, before I could examine it any further, it was gone, and he was smiling.

"Tomoyo," he said gently, his eyes amused, "I think you can ask me anything." I was about to say something, but he continued, "After all, we're friends, aren't we?" He gave me a smile that was very contagious, and soon I was smiling back.

But I still protested. "Still, it was wrong of me to just ask you a question like that. I mean, it's none of my business—"

"Neither was my asking you whether you loved your boyfriend or not," he interjected smoothly. I had nothing to say to that. He smiled kindly, "It's okay, Tomoyo, really. I understand your intent. After all, you wouldn't deliberately harm me in any kind of way." The last part he said it in a kind of teasing way. I blushed a little and smiled, trying not to let the irony of his words show in my face. Heh. Yeah, I wouldn't harm him. (Maybe)

"Well," I sighed, getting ready to stand, "we better go—**WHA**!" A sudden weight pulling my arm and on my stomach pushed me back down. It was Eriol. He had grabbed my arm and pulled me down and laid his head on my stomach.

I turned redder than Rudolph's bright, red nose. Seriously. I was **major** blushing. And well I should be. HE WAS TOUCHING ME IN A VERY INTIMATE KIND OF WAY! How in the world could I _not_ be blushing? I was barely even breathing! "E-Er... uh, Eriol, wh-what in the world are you—" I stammered.

"I'm tired," was his reply. I gaped at his face, which was only a foot away from mine. He had his eyes closed, and with his glasses off he looked really different. Especially with that stupid half-smile on his face. I suddenly glared at him for putting me in such an awkward position.

"Eriol, my friend, please get off of me," I gritted out as politely as I could. "Before I do something _drastic_." I tried to shove his head away. All that succeeded in doing was getting him a little displeased. When I began to move my own body away, he threw back his arm across my chest and shoulders so that I was forced to lean back. I nearly laughed at the incredulity of the situation I was in. I was more than embarrassed by now. And it didn't help that he actually had the nerve to shift his head more comfortably on_ my stomach_.

Before I could _really_ do something drastic, he murmured, "But Tomoyo, I won our little match, don't you remember? You owe me something." I stared down at his oh-so-peaceful face and that amused smile of his and snorted in disbelief. I wanted to whine and cry and punch his lights out. I wanted to slap him and verbally abuse him for being such a bastard. He was _such_ a jerk! But I knew he was absolutely right, and that made me want to hurt him even more. 'I won't harm him'. Hah. Yeah right.

He peeked out of one eye, and at my stormy and pouty look, he laughed. I bristled, crossing my arms the best I could, and pointedly didn't look at him. He opened both eyes and smiled. "Really, Tomoyo, I'm grateful to you. You gave me a place to stay at night when you probably don't even trust me. And I'm grateful for that." At my look he hastily added, "Not that I'm grateful that you don't trust me. No. But I know that after some time, you'll be able to trust me as I already do you, right? Because we're friends." I gazed at him for a while as he smiled a little spacey. "We're friends," he repeated, a little softer. I frowned mentally. Why did he keep saying that?

But his speech won out my better mood and I forgave him. "All right, Eriol, I'll let you... borrow my stomach for only _five minutes_," I told him sternly, ignoring the smile that widened on his face. Silently, I huffed. Goodness, why was I being so nice to him? He wasn't exactly worth all this trouble I gave him. Or, at least not for tonight. I'd already had enough on my plate as it is. And I didn't even know why on earth Eriol would want to lay on my stomach. It confused me to no end, like he usually did.

Stupid Eriol.

After a moment, he said quietly, "But Tomoyo, I actually want to tell you. I want to answer your question." I blinked, and immediately knew what question he was referring to.

"Wait," I said with misgiving, "don't answer if you feel obliged to as my friend. I don't want to know anything you're not... willing to tell me." Yeah. Even though I'm not honorable, I do have some compassion and a sense of empathy.

However, he just smiled. "Thank you, Tomoyo, but I don't feel obliged to tell you anything because you're just my friend. So don't worry." I sighed and nodded. If he wanted to tell me, I was all for it. It was his choice, after all. He moved his head a little, and on reflex, my stomach muscles tightened. "Relax," he ordered gently, "you're too hard to be comfortable on if you keep getting nervous." I immediately relaxed, but only because I didn't want him making a big deal out of it. I was still embarrassed. "Well, let's see," he breathed, his eyes closed. "You asked me whether I lived alone or with my family." I nodded nervously. He smiled a little. "I live with Nakuru and Spinnel, as you already know."

I was feeling a little tense with nervousness now. "Oh, yeah, that's right, so you don't live by yourself, okay, thanks for telling me," I rattled breathlessly. I didn't really want him to go on, because part of me felt uneasy about knowing something so private about a guy I was still _uneasy_ with. "Yeah, um, I should have known, you know, since before when you moved here the first time... and the incident with the cards and Nakuru—"

"Tomoyo," Eriol broke in calmly.

"Yes?" I said a little high-pitched.

"Hush, and let me finish, okay?"

"Okay." I let out a breath and forced my self to calm down a little. Eriol smiled at me, and I felt strangely comforted.

"Right," he said, picking up from where I interrupted him. "I used to live with my family in England, before I moved here. I had a mother and father that worked in companies, and no siblings." He laughed a little, but I could sense a little emptiness in his laugh. "Even back then I was a lonely soul. And... I didn't know that they weren't my real family. Oh, I knew I was the reincarnation of Clow Reed, and that I was a magician. I knew more than anybody else. I knew more than my parents. Or so I thought." He paused, as if taking a moment to reflect back on his memories. "They were my foster parents. They didn't know where I came from, but they found me a few months after they'd married. And they decided to keep me. There wasn't even any adoption forms or registration papers that they'd found a child." He stopped and swallowed. I wanted to do something to comfort him. I wanted him to stop talking. Anything to stop him from feeling any emotional pain. I felt as if it was my fault for making him so... emotional. But I didn't do anything. I could only watch and listen as he kept talking.

"I believed that every person, no matter who they were, had an identity. I believed... that every single person in this world has a family from which they're born in, and that every person... belonged somewhere." He smiled a little, and even I could see that it was mirthless. "But not anymore. I don't belong to any family, and I don't have an identity. I have no place in life. And so... I guess I'm just excluded from that... that way of life. It doesn't apply to me. Because I'm not like other people. I'm different. I'm so different that I wonder how I was born into this kind of world." He fell silent and didn't say anymore. I looked at his closed eyes and thought about his words.

"But... but you're human, aren't you?" I said in a small voice. At this, he opened his eyes and look at me. I continued with more purpose, "You have feelings. And you get hurt... just like humans do. So you should... you belong in this world. I believe you belong here. Just like me." His eyes stayed on mine steadily as I spoke, never faltering. Even after I finished speaking he kept his gaze on me. I looked straight back, determined to show that I was telling the truth.

Finally, he smiled a little. "Thank you, Tomoyo," he said gratefully.

I observed him a little longer, and then nodded. "That's what friends are for," I told him smilingly. He smiled wider.

Tomoyo, I think you've just succeeded in cheering up your new friend.

I grinned. Oh yeah.

Eriol sighed a little and stood up. The sudden loss of weight and warmth on my stomach made my mind unbalance a little. The blue-eyed guy beamed casually at me as he rolled down his sleeves, "You've been a remarkable host, Tomoyo, and I can't thank you enough for it. So, thank you for letting me stay here. But I've got to go now." He merely smiled at my shocked expression and handed me back the basketball, which I took numbly. "Maybe soon I can pay you back for your kindness. Well, goodbye," he waved, and then strolled out of the gym.

I stared open-mouth at the door that Eriol just exited, my eyes the size of saucers. Wh… Wh-what in heaven's name did Eriol just _do_? Did he… say what I thought I heard him say? Did he just _walk out_ on me? No, wait, that wasn't right. He couldn't have walked out on me. He... left my house when he was the one that asked for _shelter_ in it. He was leaving his home for the night.

Was I _missing_ something here?

In my confusion, I blindly left the gym and made my way up to my room (how in the world I managed it I have no idea). Not until I entered my room and closed the door did I snap out of my daze. What was Eriol thinking? He'd been deliberately leading me on! I actually believed he wanted to stay at my house for the night, when he was really testing to see if I'd actually allow him to! Hah! That cheap stake! And the basketball game... Was the game a scam as well? Was he testing to see how comfortable I was in my own home?

Oh my holy moly jalapenos. He saw my pictures. I went over to the photos on the table in my sitting room and growled. He could have opened any of my desk drawers and saw my personal stuff! He could have usedthat stuff for blackmail! ARGH! **FRIEND** MY _PETUNIA_! What a cad! He was a jerk! A dishonorable jerk! That's right, he was even more dishonorable than I, Tomoyo. And all those words he said...

Well, he did tell me about... his family. He really did open up to me, even though he didn't need to. And I guess... okay, he probably didn't touch any of my stuff. Besides, he acted pretty decently tonight. Oh... All right, all right. Maybe I'm just overreacting. Just a little. But...

Wait. I spotted something unusual out of the corner of my eye. I frowned and went around to the couch, where a cap was sitting. Eriol's hat. I picked up the article to examine it closer, but then something white fluttered out of it. I bent down and picked it up. It was a folded piece of paper. I opened it and blinked at the familiar handwriting.

_Tomoyo, _

_Will you meet me after Drama practice tomorrow? I want to thank you properly for your kindness. _

_Love, your friend, _

_Eriol _

Well. I was supposed to meet Eriol after the Drama practice. Tomorrow. And he was going to thank me. Again.

I can't say I was looking forward to it. But I was curious. And besides... "We're friends," I told myself softly. It was the kind of thing friends would do. I looked down at the cap and smiled ruefully at it.

* * *

**Normal POV**

Eriol stood on the dark sidewalk, his hands in his pockets as he looked up at the large mansion, where a single window was lighted. His blue eyes blended in with the dark as he gazed into that window. He smiled slightly and let out a sigh that showed in the cold, crisp night.

"Right. We're friends."

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**A/N: YES! Done with this chapter! I'm sorry if it's a little overdue. And if it's awkward (because it probably really is). I tried. I really tried. But I've got a cold, and that's that. Oh well, at least it's winter break! Now I get to update faster! Hopefully. Well, thank you for reading the twelfth chapter of "Special Deals". Until the next chapter.**


	13. The World Just Is

**A/N: Sorry for not updating faster... Well, here's chapter thirteen! **

**Disclaimer: I... don't know. I really don't know. All I know is that I don't own Card Captors.**

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**Chapter 13: The World Just Is **

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When I woke up, I thought it was all a dream.

A very good, very real, and very _much-too-vivid_ dream.

But then I saw the cap sitting on my desk and the little note that was beside it, and I realized it was _not_ a dream. Getting chased by FBI-agents that weren't really FBI agents (most likely my mother's company enemies), getting locked in an ancient, dark tool house with the _one_ guy I cannot stand, becoming _friends_ with that one guy I can't stand, going out to eat ice cream with him, having him over at _my_ house to spend the night, betting on who could win a game of basketball, me _losing_ that game of basketball, and _him_ suddenly saying a lot of random and personal stuff...

It wasn't a dream. And I almost wanted to groan and go back to sleep, never to see humankind again for as long as I lived. But alas, my phone shrilled in the silence of my room. Fate is cruel. After trying to shut out the sounds of the 'Mission Impossible' tone and failing, I sighed and stumbled across the room to answer it. " 'Ello?" I said groggily.

"Tomoyo!" It was Sakura. I blinked as my mind slowly began to think. Ah. Right. She and Syaoran went out on a date last night. I suddenly perked and wondered how the date went. "Hey, you sound really tired," her concerned voice reached my ears. "You didn't just get up, did you? Because school starts in fifteen minutes."

"Uhn," I replied intelligently. Then my mind started thinking once more, and I almost dropped the phone as I yelped, "Fif-fifteen minutes?" All thoughts about her date flew out of my head. I turned to look at the digital clock and realized with horror that she was indeed right. "Crap! Gotta go, 'Kura, bye!" And with that I whirled around my room like a mad rampaging stampede, frantically putting on clothes, brushing my teeth and hair, and getting my stuff, simultaneously glancing at the ticking clock. How in the world did I sleep in so late? Ah, no, wait, _I_ know the answer to that one. I glowered in the midst of running downstairs.

Eriol. _Eriol_.

How was it that a recently enemy-turned-friend influenced my daily life so that I had no control over it?

One of the many unanswerable questions in life...

As I hurried out the door with a toast in my hand, his words from last night echoed unwittingly in my brain.

"_I don't belong to any family, and I don't have an identity."_

"_Because I'm not like other people. I'm different." _

Something lurched and twisted in my stomach as I remembered the words. I don't know why, but the way he said it, the disconsolate tone of his voice, that expression in his eyes... it was enough to make me feel horrible. Maybe it was guilt. Maybe it was pity. I don't know. But I did know that when he told me about his parents last night, I didn't like the lonely expression in his eyes.

I just didn't like seeing him like that.

As almost as soon as I thought this, I wondered _why_ I didn't like to see him like that, but then almost immediately my mind pushed _that_ thought away. I don't know why, but I was almost certain that subconsciously I knew a little bit why I thought that way, and I was most positively certain that I didn't want to think about that. At least, not now. Not now when I was still feeling a little… uncertain and wobbly in my mind.

Being sudden friends with Eriol does that to you, I think.

Then again, I've always been a little unstable in the head.

The limo stopped in front of the school. I barely said bye to Bill (the driver) as I rushed out the door and through the school doors, just as the first bell rang.

By the time I got to my first class, Sakura was already sitting in her seat, waiting for me. And so were Naoko, Chiharu, and Yamazaki. I blinked upon seeing the grinning male, but shrugged mentally and headed towards them. I noticed that some girls were glaring oddly at me from across the classroom, but I thought nothing of it as I took my seat. After all, those fan girls glared at **anything**. The minute I took my seat, my friends jumped on me (not literally).

"What did you and Eriol do last night?" Sakura asked eagerly. I had anticipated her question because my cousin always had a way of finding out those kind of things, so I opened my mouth to answer calmly. But she added, "I heard he... asked you out on a _date_." I almost choked. _What?_ She looked at me expectantly, her green eyes shining with curiosity.

Before I could say anything (not that I had anything to say) Naoko asked excitedly, "Hey, I heard Eriol even slept over your house last night!" Huh? How did all this get spread around so fast? I never knew the rumor mill was _this_ good. And Sakura was out last night with Syaoran. Unless... My eyes narrowed. Unless a certain blue-eyed idiot said something he shouldn't have.

Chiharu noticed my scowl and added hastily, "Of course, we're not saying we believe the rumors—"

"Of course we are!" Yamazaki interrupted happily beside the auburn-haired girl, his face grinning at me. I blinked again. Just why exactly was he here in the first place? But then... **_SMACK! _**"Ow! My dearest Chiharu!" ...Of course, he and Chiharu were probably together. I found myself staring amusedly at them, watching as they bickered and squabbled.

"Just like an old couple," a dry voice remarked from beside me.

"Yeah—" I turned my head quickly and saw Kei standing beside my desk, watching the couple with an amused expression. I blinked again. What was he doing here? Again. This wasn't his classroom. He looked at me with hazel eyes that seemed to be so full of mystery... of course, I knew a certain pair of blue eyes that could top him, no sweat.

Chiharu was still arguing with Yamazaki in the background, apparently in their own little world. I turned to look at Sakura, only to find a very humorous scene at play.

Syaoran was sitting oh-so-casually behind Sakura, who had apparently known he was there and was trying not to notice or care (though if her pink cheeks were any indication...). I grinned to myself. My, my. What did these two lovebirds _do_ last night? Right behind Syaoran were some of his ILS members, all of who were glaring daggers at Sakura's head and wistful expression at their dream boy's.

I heard Kei snort. I didn't get a chance to turn to him and raise my eyebrows, because Naoko beat me to it and pinned him with her glare. I zipped my lip and settled back to watch the show that was about to unfold. Nothing in the world would prompt me to get in the middle of _this..._

It wasalmost like the _'Pre-Sakura and Syaoran Bond' _show. A show that I'd enjoyed watching immensely in previous years.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded Kei, who merely glanced at her lazily and lean back on the desk behind him. I suppressed a grin. He was _good_. At least, better than Syaoran. The Li heir had a temper that beat **all** those bratty kids in elementary school.

Naoko seethed, and while I knew she didn't like the lax class president, I hoped she didn't try to do anything to him. Like... strangle him to death. According to _Pre-Sakura and Syaoran Bond_ Sakura always managed to do _something_ violent to her antagonist.

He waited a moment to further irritate the glasses-wearing girl (I stifled a giggle, vaguely wondering why it almost reminded me of something eerily familiar...) before answering, "Your teacher's going to be late. I'm here on his behalf to watch over his students." I thought I could hear a smirk in his voice. That made my eyes narrow a little. Was he hanging around Eriol too much?

"That was pathetic, even for _you_," the brown-haired girl scoffed, her eyes mocking as she crossed her arms. "Your lies are beginning to sound like Yamazaki's." Ooh. It was an insult to both Kei and Yamazaki, especially since he probably _was_ telling the truth. I swear I saw a slight frown on the class president's face. But then the expression smoothed back into the familiar bored look and he chose not to answer. Naoko frowned, apparently disappointed that her words didn't affect him. Much. I was just about to let myself think that everyone had forgotten all about me, happily, when fate turned its back on me. Again. Naoko looked at me, and immediately her face brightened. "Hey, Inasu," she said with a slightly happy, sing-songy tone. That made me blink. He merely raised an eyebrow at her. She suddenly let an evil Naoko smirk spread on her lips as she leaned forward. "Do you know what _Tomoyo_ did last night?" Still in that same sing-songy voice.

A wary feeling slowly rose as I stared at Naoko.

Kei barely glanced at me and looked indifferently at her. I frantically tried to give Naoko my "Don't Say It" look, but she completely ignored it. "Last night... she had a... _visitor_," the evil glasses-girl continued slyly. I refrained myself from waving my arms and screaming on top of my lungs. I felt embarrassed enoughabout the whole incident last night with Eriol, especially since it was really just plain awkward. I really didn't need one of my own _friends_ spreading the word that the school's King was over at my house last night.

Thus, I tried with one last attempt to keep Naoko from saying anymore. I didn't throw myself off my desk or scream on top of my lungs. But I wish I had. She only smirked wider at me and leaned more on her desk. Oh, fate was just rubbing in my misfortune, wasn't it? "Last night, Eriol Hiiragizawa... that's right, _Eriol Hiiragizawa..._ **was over at Tomoyo's house**."

I stifled a groan and slumped on my desk, trying to hide my face in shame. The class was still talking, since the teacher wasn't here, and I could hear Chiharu and Yamazaki still going at it. But everything else was quiet. I waited for Kei's reaction. Being Eriol's friend, he probably already knew Eriol had come over my house last night. But then, maybe he didn't care. I hoped it was the latter.

"...What?" His voice made me blink, but I kept my head down. He was a tad surprised, judging from the disbelief in his tone. Hmm, so much for him not caring. Obviously he didn't hear about it. Until now. I groaned mentally and vowed never to be around Naoko when it was winter. Being cooped up inside and not having enough fresh air to strengthen her imagination did terrible things to her already action-deprived mind. Maybe that's why she felt the need to tell her _enemy_ about something that I didn't really want out in the whole school.

Naoko's voice came. "That's right. _I'm_ right. Ready to admit _you're_ wrong?" Her voice was very smug. I wondered briefly what she was talking about, but then decided it didn't matter. Because I wanted to keep my head down for as long as I could. It was comforting to know that my face would not be seen to the world. Kind of like the ostrich— 'Hey, look, I can't see you, so you can't see me!' And its body's sticking out of the ground while it head is underground. I drolly compared the body to my own and my head hidden in the circle of my arms. Oh, but what a fine ostrich I would make...!

Suddenly, I become conscious of the fact that everything was quiet. As in, the whole classroom was quiet. A foreboding tingle went up my spine, and before I knew it, a warm hand was on my shoulder. _Touch Alert. _

I immediately shot up, turning my head to see who it was, also doubled up with my anxiety of the silent classroom, and blinked. Well, who could it be but Eriol? The tall, blue-eyed guy whom I mentally classified as 'friend' was standing behind me, grinning. Why was he here? There was something different about him. I stared at him, trying to figure out what it was. He chuckled. I blinked again.

He wasn't wearing glasses.

And he was looking very handsome.

Of course, I'd seen him before without those light, wire-rimmed frames. But now... it was like seeing him in a completely whole different light. And I thought he looked really good. (How cliché) Was he wearing contacts? Was that why his eyes look even bluer than ever?

I began blushing, but quickly ducked my head as if glancing at the floor. Why was I reacting this way? I saw him yesterday no problem without glasses. So _why_ was this any different?

"Tomoyo." I looked up reluctantly. He was still grinning. Then he held out something, and I blinked at it. It was... a cookie? "It's from Nakuru," he told me, a slight smile in his voice. I blinked again and took the offered cookie, wrapped in its little, plastic bag. He shoved his hands in his pockets and said cheerfully, "Well, see you at the meeting, Tomoyo." He nodded at Kei, who was staring openly at his friend. "Let's go." The blue-eyed guy also nodded at Yamazaki and Syaoran in the cool, typical male greeting. Before he left, however, (I tried to keep from blushing harder), he bent down to whisper in my ear, "Don't forget our 'date' after the meeting, Tomoyo." And winking at me, he walked calmly away. Kei followed, frowning confusedly between the blue-haired guy and me.

I was frowning as well. Date? What in the world did he mean by... oh. The note he gave me. He wanted to... what was it again? To properly thank me for my gratitude. Or something...? Why did he call it a _date_? And... why in the world did he _wink_ at me? He was acting mighty confident... as if I was actually going to comply and obediently meet with him. Was he _flirting_? Was he trying to seduce me, as a continuation from last night? I suddenly coughed, trying to cover up the blush spreading rapidly in my cheeks. Stupid heat. This classroom's too warm. Anyways, I'm sure he wasn't doing anything to... er, lead me on. Yeah. We're friends now. Friends just don't DO those kinds of things.

I roused myself from my thoughts and noticed the classroom was still quiet, though not as quiet as before. Many students were staring at me and whispering, and I suddenly realized the rumors must have reached them as well. And now after the little scene with Eriol and me, they must have no doubts about what they've heard. I cringed. So much for not wanting others to know about it. How in the world did it manage to leak out so fast?

"Tomoyo..." I turned back to see Sakura staring at me, her greens eyes shining and her hands clasped before her. My own eyes widened as I stared back. There was a certain glint in her eyes that warned me not to get involved in anything she might say... "Tomoyo," she sighed, a hand on her heart. I swallowed and looked at the others for help. Chiharu and Yamazaki both had identical grins on their faces. Naoko was looking almost identical to Sakura. And Syaoran... was looking quizzically at Sakura and me, obviously not coming to my rescue any time soon. "Tomoyo," my cousin said for the third time.

"What?" I demanded, feeling a bead of sweat on my brow.

She smiled through almost-tears. "You and Eriol are so beautiful together...!" she whispered. With that she hugged me until I couldn't breath.

And through the haze of my so-called friends squealing about a wedding, Yamazaki heartily congratulating me, and Syaoran vaguely warning Sakura I would die from lack of oxygen if she didn't let go of me soon, I saw many girls glaring heatedly at me. I realized that the glares I received this morning was no mere coincidence. Neither was the fact that after Eriol left the glares seemed to intensify in malice.

The fire of the ILE club had been rekindled now that their threat became clear: one unhappy Daidouji.

**(Five Minutes Later)**

"..." I stared at the cookie. At first I'd wondered why in the world Nakuru would give me a cookie. I felt a little bad because I didn't visit her as I said I would. But then, I knew Nakuru wouldn't be upset by such trivial matters.

Or **would** she?

I stared at the cookie, marveling at the simple, yet subtle way Nakuru would instill guilt in people. It was a heart-shaped cookie, with coconut shavings sprinkled on top. Even without tasting it I knew it was peanut butter-covered chocolate-flavored. Simple, yet subtle.

And in white, cursive icing it said, **"Tomoyo, you're a wonderful friend"**.

Like I said. Simple, yet... subtle. That's Nakuru for you.

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I was finally dragging my feet to the theatre, where the drama meeting was to be held. _Just a little farther_, I urged myself. I was almost there.

The whole day had been nothing but trouble. First, I'd forgotten my hair tie in my haste this morning, so in P.E. I was eating a lot of my hair and fighting to keep the heavy mass off my sticky face. Then when I arrived in my Chem 2 class, there was a test I'd forgotten about and I went into a frenzy state that put carnivorous piranhas to shame trying to cram in two hours of studying. Every time I stepped into my classes, the students that heard about the rumors (who _hadn't_ heard about them by now?) and hadn't seen me yet stared at me as if I were some kind of alien. I felt pangs of guilt whenever I thought about the cookie or Nakuru, and I stressed about the upcoming drama meeting (I did NOT want a main part... neither did I want to be a tree or something equally as stupid). And to top it all off, the ILE fan girls had been stalking and glaring at me all day nonstop. Seriously. They have been giving me _no_ break _period_.

I was contemplating home schooling just to avoid the big teenage stress commonly known as high school.

"Stupid Eriol, stupid peanut butter-covered chocolates with coconuts, stupid Eriol, stupid handkerchief, stupid café, stupid Eriol... stupid, stupid, stupid!" I muttered under my breath as I neared the theatre, my body and mind weary from the continuous onslaught of questions, demands, glares and just plain _attention_. I was a little, social-less dork, breaking under the stress of the society of high school. "Stupid elf, stupid plushie, stupid animals, stupid..." I breathed a sigh of relief when I finally reached the door. "And stupid drama," I added, glaring at the door before I went in.

The first thing I noticed as I stepped into the theatre was the odd, unbalanced number of people. People weren't all grouped to one side or separated, like one would expect to see in a normal gathering of teenagers.

No. It was that there were a _whole_ lot more girls than guys. And I mean in a 5 to 1 ratio wise. I'm not exaggerating. Well, drama is more appealing to females than males. I suppose it's the dramatic flair that most of us girls keep in touch with.

...But not me! I didn't even sign up for this stinking position! I was supposed to be a designer. Read that, DESIGNER... ahem. I did not know how to act whatsoever, and if I did, I would have signed up for that stupid position in the first place. (Probably)

Being so deep in my thoughts, I didn't see him until it was he was right beside me.

"Tomoyo." A pair of deep blue eyes suddenly stared into mine, popping out of nowhere.

"Eriol!" In my surprise I blinked and backed away quickly, nearly toppling on my bottom. I quickly balanced myself and stared resolutely back at Eriol, who was watching me with an amused quirk. "Hello, Eriol," I greeted him with as much calm as I could muster. I wasn't going to let myself be caught off guard by him again. "So... what are we supposed to do?" I asked.

He shrugged and glanced around, giving me an excellent view of his glasses-less profile. "Everyone seems to be waiting for the Drama teacher," he stated, waving his hand. Then he grinned at me. "Want to sit?"

I looked over at the fold-up seats and headed over to them without a word, leaving him to follow me. I didn't want him to think I was waiting only for his commands to do something. After all, I was his friend now. That meant we were equals. No more victors, winners, or slaves.

As we sat together some of the girls looked at us and glared, giving me dirty looks. I sighed shortly, already used to the glowers I'd received. Eriol relaxed in his seat, reclining back and placing his feet on top of the chair in front of him. I raised an eyebrow, wondering if he noticed his fan club glaring. He closed his eyes and seemed to be resting.

After sitting in silence for a minute, while the guy next to me dozed, I felt a little uncomfortable and restless. The day was getting to me, and while I wasn't entirely sure about seeming so at ease in public, my body was begging for a short nap. I sighed. So I leaned back a little and relaxed, letting my eyes close. Surprisingly, it was comfortable, and I found myself growing sleepier by the minute. The room was quite warm, and despite the people in the room, the atmosphere comforted me. Also, it was nice that Eriol was beside me. His presence was almost warm, and I could sense him near me in my mind. Hmm, warm...

Just as I was on the brink of sleep, I opened my eyes a little and saw something... orange? I opened my eyes a little wider and blinked. Somebody wearing bright orange was standing right in front of me. I slowly looked up at the person. It was a woman. I thought I saw her around campus.

She was tall, and her banana blond hair added to the blinding effect of the orange jacket. Her eyes were a dark brown that almost clashed with the entire outfit, but somehow, she managed to pull it off. It matched her. It _became_ her.

She was smiling so fiercely at me I thought her face must be tired from stretching like that. There was also a mischievous twinkle in her eyes that made me a little wary. "Well, well, here's our star actress! Tomoyo Daidouji!" she said in a booming voice that made everyone in the room snap to attention. I blinked and shrank back, trying to hide myself from the dreaded target of peoples' eyes. She must be the Drama teacher. The girls that were previously glaring at me were still glaring at me, only their glares seem to strengthen. I swallowed and hoped the teacher would go away.

But sadly, fate was not giving me any favors today. The orange-teacher laughed merrily and gave me a hand to shake. I tried not to wince as she pumped my whole arm. "Daidouji, you will be the new sensation of this whole school by the time I'm done with you," she told me in that same booming voice. Er... sensation?I wondered if she used to be a gym teacher, or at least a coach. She beamed at me, and then noticed the guy sitting next to me. Eriol had already woken—most likely from the volume of the teacher's voice. He was looking calmly at her, studying her eyes with almost a languid attitude, but the sharp intensity in his calculating eyes told otherwise. It was times like this I was reminded of Eriol's true identity.

Finally, the teacher broke the staring contest by breaking into a _huge_ smile. Her smiles, I noticed, came naturally to her, so she must be a warm and smiling woman at heart. I decided I liked her. She gave Eriol a hand like she did to me, and he took it. "I'm glad to see you as well, Eriol," she said in a quieter voice. I blinked as he smiled politely back. They knew each other? I never knew Eriol took Drama... hmm.

"Well, looks like everyone's here," she commented as she clapped her hands. She turned and marched up to the stage, saying loudly, "Everyone! Take a seat!" Almost immediately all the students rushed to find a seat. Her dark eyes twinkled at us. "Hello! I'm Miss Eileen, but you can call me Miss E. Now, as you know, the Drama committee is in charge of putting on a play for the Winter Festival. That means—**YOU!**" She suddenly pointed at a student. Everyone turned to see a nervous boy wearing glasses, clutching onto his seat for dear life. She stared sternly at him, bellowing, "Why have you come here? Do you not see that the mitosis of cells is reversing? The world is at stake here! Only _you_ can stop the horror of devolution! Everyone will die because of you! DIE! You **fail**!"

There was complete silence in the room.

The boy promptly burst into tears.

The orange-teacher suddenly smiled at him and said in her booming voice, "Excellent! That was **wonderful**! _That_ is the kind of performance I want from _all_ of you here!"

The boy continued to weep. A girl raised her hand timidly.

"...Um, Miss E.? I don't think he was acting."

The boy sobbed harder.

* * *

I want to cry. I want to bury myself and join the boy wearing glasses and cry my eyes out. I want to bawl shamelessly and pour out all my woes without fear of other people watching.

Then again, if I did that Miss Eileen would congratulate me on acting so well. And then I would be back where I started.

Here. Ready to cry. Staring at the thick script that contained all of my lines as well as everybody else's. It wouldn't have been _that_ bad, except for the little fact that I was to take the main female role in the play. And that Eriol would be playing the part of the main male role. It was a love play. A girl and guy end up happily together. Oh, for the irony.

Which is why I was ready to join the crying glasses boy.

I sighed heavily and stared up at the ceiling where dozens of beams and lights were hanging. Why was the world being so cruel to me today? Was this the consequence of earning a new friend yesterday? Was this the price I had to pay to be Eriol's friend?

Oh, and by the way, I'm going to smack that boy. Eriol Hiiragizawa, not the crying boy. I was going to smack him because he was just _begging_ to be smacked. I mean, _look_ at him! He was grinning like an idiot—like he was entirely **happy** the way things turned out!

If I didn't know he was my friend, I would've sworn he was taking evil pleasure out of my discomfort in being in this play. But I knew he was my friend, so I just settled on the conclusion that Eriol was just happy to get one of the main parts. Yeah, that was probably it. After all, getting the main part in a play is not one that anybody can get. Yes... one has to be... _special..._ to get the _privilege_ of receiving such a part. I grit my teeth and glare down at my script. Yeah. Privilege. My glare deepened as I look at the numerous highlights that mark my lines.

...There was an awful lot of highlighting. Too much, in my opinion.

I think Miss Eileen is evil. No, she's not evil, as in "Muahaha! I'm going to destroy the world!" kind of evil. It's not that she's outright mean or deliberately nasty to anyone (it was verified that the crying glasses boy incident was an accident) and I really do like her. She's nice, energetic, and warm... but all the same, she had that innocent evilness twinkling in her eyes whenever she was about to tell someone something... not good. At least, not good for that particular person. Like me.

"Aw, cheer up, Tomoyo," a familiar, cheerful voice said from beside me. It was, of course, Eriol. He grinned at me in an almost innocent manner. My eyes narrowed. Girls from around the room that were sour about their own parts for the play shot dirty looks at me as they saw that I was talking to their idol. A clap on my shoulder made me look back at the tall, blue-eyed guy. "Hey, it's not so bad. At least there are no kissing parts," he told me with a slight smirk on his lips. Then he leaned forward, raising an eyebrow. "Or maybe you're disappointed..."

"Shut up," I snapped, feeling my cheeks turn red. I crossed my arms defiantly and glowered up at him. "Why are you so happy about this?" I asked him suspiciously. He just laughed a little and patted my head. I skewered him with a glare and he chuckled, removing his hand.

"Why, Tomoyo? Can't I be happy about _this_?" he asked back in a light-hearted tone. I knew he was teasing me by the amused sparkle in his eyes.

And then something entered my mind so unknowingly that I didn't have a chance to shove it away, like I should have.

He was handsome. A little too handsome (for his own good). After all, when one has looks, power, magical powers, money, and talent, they can get a little... funky in their head. But then, I mused, Eriol was probably already funky, in his own way. After all, why would the school's most popular guy bother to make amends with a girl that he only used to know in elementary school? A girl who was best friends with Sakura, the card captor that earned all of his powers. ...He really _was_ handsome. And it didn't hurt that those wire-rimmed frames weren't on the bridge of his nose, almost obscuring the view of his wise, blue eyes and the dark lashes that gracefully outlined it. Without his glasses, there was nothing keeping you from looking into those eyes and seeing just how deep and mysterious they were... It was almost funny how muchI could see in them now. For as long as I could remember, all I saw in those eyes were arrogance, cold impassiveness, maybe a trace of a smirk. Now I could see a smile, and almost always, a twinkle of amusement... much like right now.

... like... _right now_.

I was blantantly staring at him.

He was already grinning, amused at how unabashedly I'd been staring into his eyes like a dork. Slowly my face turned warm, and I turned my head away from him so he couldn't see how embarrassed I was.

It was embarrassing. I was so embarrassed. I was so embarrassed that I didn't notice his eyes softening, or when he said my name. Inside, I furiously told off myself for letting myself drop all common sense and self-control. It probably made me look even worse in his eyes. Anyways, why was I so entranced by his eyes? They were only his eyes. They were nothing special. Yet I still gaped at them.

Arg. Focus, Tomoyo, _focus_!

I didn't hear him say my name again, that is, until a hand touched my arm and shook it slightly. I blinked and looked at Eriol inquiringly, my mind still a little dazed. He was looking at me quizzically. Almost like he was concerned. I had to smile a little, albeit forcefully. "Are you okay?" he asked, worry evident in his voice. This time my smile came more relaxed.

I nodded. "Yes, I'm okay. Er, sorry..." I trailed off, not meeting his eye again. Idiot, you're such an idiot, Tomoyo! Now he's going to think I was creepy or something. I heard him sigh and tug my arm so I would look at him. "Mm," I sounded, not bothering to look up. A hand took my chin and gently forced me to lift my head up. I was too surprised by his touch to say anything except look into his dark eyes again. I wondered if he wanted me to stare into his eyes like an idiot again. ...Nah. He's not cruel like that (maybe). But I failed to understand his actions and why they were making me blush like no tomorrow. My heart was beating a tempo quicker than usual.

He gave me a half-smile that was warmer even than Miss Eileen's. I stared. He said quietly, "It's okay, Tomoyo. I don't mind... I don't mind if you... stare at me. You can stare as long as you like."

Something in me was shifting, almost like it was energized by his words. His words had some underlying meaning... there was something behind his voice that confused me. I didn't exactly understood what he was saying under all that. And it gave me all sorts of reactions (not chemical, I'm thinking) that I didn't know could possibly happen, and I wondered why in the world I was feeling like this. I stared at him, my mouth opening to say something, when—

"THE LOVEBIRDS HAVE FOUND THEIR TRUE AWAKENING!"

"Ack!" I exclaimed while jumping away from Eriol like he had a disease (but that's not true, of course). Miss Eileen had suddenly popped up next to us, scaring the hell out of me. She was positively glowing as if the sun had just come up (which it hadn't because it was winter and the sun hadn't come from behind the clouds for the past few weeks). I eyed her doubtfully. There was a certain mischievous aura around her that practically screamed '_Warning: I am Evil'_ to those of ten-feet radius. I tried to escape from that radius, but I was too slow. She grabbed my hand before I could edge away.

"Ahh, young love! 'Tis beautiful like the morning dew!" she sighed; her eyes shining with unshed tears. I blinked and backed away slowly. What was it today with people looking at me with shining eyes...? Though something in her little speech sparked familiarity in the back of my head. Something in her words that reminded me...

I looked at Eriol. He was looking at the shiny-eyed teacher with a calm expression... but there was a flicker of irritation in his eyes. I blinked. Maybe he too was getting a little tired of the teacher's emotional outbursts.

Some students were getting tired as well, and chose now (thankfully) to say so. "Miss Eileen, can we go _home_ now? We're tired." As if on afterthought, he added, "We can practice the scripts next meeting." There were similar mutters from other students. The blond drama teacher was eyeing the students speculatively.

"_Really_?" she said with some disbelief. "But we'll be meeting again tomorrow!"

Simultaneously the entire class stared at her with their mouths open. I only stared at my script despairingly. Eriol shifted. Miss Eileen beamed at everyone.

She let go of my hand and clapped loudly, saying, "Well, as impressed as I am by your enthusiasm in acting, we must not rush ourselves! The festival is in a week and a half, and I have full confidence that we will mesmerize the audience with our superb abilities!" She followed this with a fist in the air, another on her heart, her eyes now shining with determination. Everyone sighed and nodded slowly. It was hard to refuse when our teacher was smiling with such vigor. We didn't want to break her heart.

"Now," she continued with a bright smile, "I have a guest assistant who'll be helping me prepare you actors for the play! Mr. Muraki!"

My jaw dropped. I heard Eriol undertone, "What?". The class started whispering excitedly. From behind the stage someone walked into the open next to Miss Eileen. My mind fizzed blank. I could recognize that graceful pace, the brown hair and warm brown eyes almost anywhere.

It was Len. Len Muraki. _In the flesh_.

The orange-teacher placed a hand on his shoulder as she stated, "Len Muraki is a skilled and talented actor with the makings of a fine future! I expect you will all benefit from him!" She smiled at the tall, brown-haired man and said something in a low voice. He nodded and smiled. I sighed softly.

I could recognize that smile as well.

Almost at once, every girl in the theatre sighed in adoration. But I didn't. I was too busy getting over the shock of seeing him _here_ and frowning at the same time towards the girls who had _just_ been glaring at me because of Eriol. It was rather ironic, really. Len was supposed to be _my_ man. He was my... boyfriend. He even said so! So hah, I thought smugly at the swooning girls. Of course, that didn't stop them from staring dreamy-eyed at him.

Then anxiety gripped me. What if he didn't remember me? What if he forgot who I was over the last few days? I hadn't really made contact with him. And he never made contact with me. It was possible that... he didn't remember who I was.

His hazel eyes suddenly found mine and he **smiled**. _Major swoon. _

Okay. He remembered me.

KYAAH! I smiled shyly back, glad that he didn't forget whom I was. I knew that the girls were glaring almost murderously at me, and I just smiled triumphantly. Len looked at someone next to me, and I noticed his smile grow wider. Alarmed, I turned to see who he was smiling at. Was it a girl? Did he know her?

It was Eriol. I'd almost forgotten he was next to me. And... wait. Why was he looking so upset? The slight glare was nothing to be overlooked... especially since he was glaring at MY Len.

And why was Len smiling at _him_ in the first place?

"All right! Great job today, everyone!" Miss Eileen shouted. "You may go home now!" Almost at once the students surged to the exit eager to be away from being in the same room as the over-dramatic drama teacher. I almost went also, when I remembered I was supposed to stay with Eriol. Therefore I stayed behind while the room slowly emptied. Miss Eileen had already left.This made me feel odd. I was going to stay with Eriol... by myself. And he wanted to thank me properly. What did he mean by that?

When I turned to face him, he was still looking upset. And he was looking at something behind me.

"This is a pleasant surprise," a smooth, male voice said. I turned around and saw Len walking towards us, a slight smile on his lips. I smiled nervously at him. He bowed a little at me. "Tomoyo... and Eriol Hiiragizawa," he greeted politely. I sensed Eriol nod from behind me. It was a little awkward, because I could feel a tension between all of us. Or at least, Eriol and me. Len looked unfazed. It was actually kind of funny that he was unruffled while the calm and stoic Eriol was tense. Ha. Haha. Funny.

Eh. Then again, I was tenser than him, so I shouldn't be saying anything.

"Well, I look forward to working with you two," Len said looking at me, and mentally I squealed. Outside, though, I smiled as serenely as I could. For some reason, I couldn't say anything. I was too nervous. I hoped he would keep talking, maybe even talk privately with me... but it was not so.

"Tomoyo, we should get going," Eriol said in a cool voice. I blinked and looked at him. He was glancing at Len with an unreadable expression, and I wondered if maybe he didn't like him. I remembered back at the café when they first met. Eriol had been so cold. It was like he had an _animosity_ for the brown-eyed man. I frowned mentally. It confused me. And bothered me.

I cleared my throat and nodded, though I was disappointed for not spending more time with Len (dumb Eriol and his animosity). But I knew I shouldn't keep pushing myself to talk to him. He might find it annoying or something equally horrible to that. And I couldn't stand the thought of it. So I mustered the ability to say, "Goodbye," to him.

He smiled his heart-warming smile and bowed, saying, "I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, Tomoyo." My eyes widened in surprise, but I smiled bashfully and nodded. He looked at Eriol and nodded, keeping eye contact for a little while. Then he turned and walked to the exit, disappearing out the door. I stood there for a moment, relishing in his parting words like a swooning teenager. Which was exactly what I was.

"Come on, Tomoyo," came Eriol's distant voice. I woke out of my daze and turned around seeing him already heading out the exit. I blinked and hurried after him, pausing to pick up my bag.

* * *

By now I'd gotten the gist that something was wrong.

We walked down the streets on the sidewalk, going past houses and neighborhoods. It had been ten minutes and he hasn't said a single word, nor had he turned his head and given me a single glance. Yup, something was definitely wrong.

Just what could have made him mad? I stared at his back as we walked in silence. Why was he acting so quiet and cold all the sudden? I thought back on today and scanned each event; he wasn't upset this morning, nor was he even bothered during the drama meeting. It wasn't until Len showed up that he turned all glowering-like. Did he really not like Len _that_ much? I blinked. But what was there to _not_ like about Len? He was nice, kind, gentlemanly, and very polite. Much like a certain blue-eyed glowering guy I know... or used to know. Even if it was a guy thing, I still couldn't see anything wrong with Len. He didn't insult any guy on his pride, masculinity or anything like that. And he was polite whenever he was around Eriol. There was no reason for dislike. I frowned.

Eriol was still not speaking. He didn't even turn around _once_. His hands were shoved in his pockets and there was a brooding aura around him that said 'I'm brooding, don't bother me'. I frowned even more and pursed my lips. Even if he didn't like Len he didn't have to bring out on _me_. If he was sulking and pushing me away (even though he was really pushing me away, but _still_) because of his own personal problems, then I wasn't going to stand for it. He was the one bringing me along this little expedition to "properly thank" me. It was immature of him, really, to act like this.

After a minute of more silent treatment, I decided I had to say something. "Eriol," I said to his back. He inclined his head a bit, but didn't turn to look at me, nor did he say anything. I narrowed my eyes and demanded, "What's _wrong_ with you?" Oh. That didn't come out the way I wanted it to. Oh well. Might as well continue. "You were fine and happy this morning and during the meeting, but now all the sudden you start glaring and acting all moody." I glared at his back. "Why are you ignoring me?"

He didn't say anything and kept walking. I gaped at his brush-off and hurried to keep up with him. His continuous disregard of me was really annoying me. I clenched my fists and kept myself from giving him a nice deserving slap on the head. "Eriol," I said through gritted teeth, "I don't know what bothered you, but your attitude is really immature. I thought we were friends." The last bit I'd added in for extra measure. It was a nice effect, I thought. He still didn't say anything. My patience almost snapped and I forced myself to direct my burning glare down at the sidewalk.

Eriol was really pushing it. After saying we were friends and (even though it was slightly weird) we didn't even argue for longer than I could even remember, he was deliberately ignoring me. That's practically stomping on the word friendship! "You didn't act like this before Len came," I said with controlled calm. I kept my head down so I wouldn't suddenly jump on him or do something violent. As an after thought I threw in, "It's almost like you're jealous of him."

Eh? I blinked. Jealous? _That_ thought certainly had not come to me before. Because it just wasn't possible. Eriol Hiiragizawa was never jealous. People were jealous of him, yes, but _Eriol_was never jealous.

Suddenly I bumped into something solid. Blinking, I raised my head and realized Eriol had stopped while I kept walking, causing me to run into him. He was a little tense I noticed as I observed his rigid, tall form. Abruptly he turned around, almost startling me off balance. I blinked up to see his face and become conscious of the fact that he was very close to me. I tried not to look awkward and met his eye squarely.

He stared into my eyes with the same intensity I saw when he looked at Miss Eileen. It was so strong that I had to keep myself from wilting back, like a flower that had too much sun. I'm surprised Miss Eileen could stand this gaze of his. I guess not much could faze the drama teacher. "Tomoyo," he called to me shortly, still impaling me with the intense look. "I... I... you..." He exhaled. "You... I'm..." To my astonishment, I realized he was struggling to find words. Whoa. _Eriol_ was lost for words? The great Hiiragizawa didn't know what to say? The world has truly gone mad. "Tomoyo, I'm... I... you..." He had looked away (thankfully—I don't want to wilt like a flower) and was running a hand through his hair. He was frustrated.

...Oh my. **Eriol** was frustrated. Can this be happening? Has the world **_truly_** gone mad? I was in the presence of a _frustrated_ Eriol. This was going to make the history books, and believe me, the world will never be the same again. Well, that is, in MY history book. It's not often that Tomoyo Daidouji gets to open that dusty, cobwebby textbook containing insignificant history.

Finally, he seemed to get over his tongue-tied-ness, though he certainly looked weary about it. I kept looking at him. "Okay... I'm sorry, Tomoyo," he apologized, even though there was slight disappointment in his voice. Nevertheless I was shocked. Eriol had apologized to me without even a single retort. Willingly, also! What. In. The. World?

I found myself saying in an awed tone, "O-Oh, no, it's okay/" I looked at him speculatively. "So... you're not mad at me or anything?" After all, he _was_ acting strange. He could be pretending. But that would be very un-Eriol-like to pretend to be apologizing... or was that something he _would_ do...?

Eriol smiled at me, something I found particularly relieving after all that worry and stress about him being upset with me. Scratch that, he's definitely not pretending. He shook his head, saying, "Of course not, I could never be mad at you." I smiled back brightly, feeling the adolescence of friendship once again.

"Because we're friends," I said in a teasing voice. To my surprise, his smile seemed to drop, but it must have been my imagination because he chuckled. Was my vision impaired or something? Huh.

"Yes," he agreed with his trademark smile. It's kind of funny how it used to be a trademark smirk/arrogant-conceited-smile. Then he grabbed my wrist and began walking again. I blinked and walked as well.

"So, where are we going?" I finally asked curiously. We'd been walking for at least fifteen minutes, and my bag was beginning to feel a little heavy.

He glanced at me. "My house."

I nodded. Then my eyes widened.

His... house. We were going over to _his_ house.

It was comical how those two words seemed to make everything in my mind freeze. _His house_. I blinked rapidly. There was something very... _private _about going over to his house. But, I concluded, it must be a way to deepen the bond of friendship we had. After all, he was close to Syaoran and Sakura, I was close to Syaoran and Sakura, both Syaoran and Sakura have been to Eriol and my house, and therefore he and I should be close to each other!

Er... as _friends_, of course. (I don't know what I'm talking about)

Then my eyes brightened. _Nakuru_! She must be expecting a visit from me soon (something I figured after reading the subtle message on the cookie) and would be glad to see me. Having Nakuru around definitely lessened the awkwardness of being in Eriol's home. There was some silver lining in the clouds after all. Going to his house might not be as uncomfortable as I thought.

Thus, my mood lifted, I smiled the rest of the way to his house.

* * *

It was coming. I could feel it... feel it in the air, smell it... smell... I could smell something...

"TOMOYO!"

The moment I stepped into Eriol's mansion I was promptly tackled by the "female" guardian—who was currently wearing ribbons in her hair and so many straps and belts on her outfit that I wondered if it wasn't _all_ straps and belts (Er...). Her reddish-brown eyes sparkled the usual Nakuru Sparkle as she squealed into my ear, "**_TOMOYOOOOO_**!" I thought my ear was temporarily defected after that, because I could barely hear Eriol telling his guardian to stop making me deaf and to let go of me before I was suffocated. After she finally got his message (I was making choking sounds) she pulled back and gave me a heart-warming Nakuru Grin. "Tomoyo, you don't know _how_ much I missed you!"

Yes. Actually I do know. After all, I was smart enough to figure out the message behind her subtle cookie. She was a little... enthusiastic. I didn't say this, of course, but I think she knew anyways because her eyes were shining in a way that I thought was eerily identical to Sakura's and Miss Eileen's. Once again, it was the Curse of the Shining Eyes. Yeah, I _named_ it... so what? _You_ would too if you've spent the whole day having eyes, eyes, and _eyes_ literally _on_ you (not literally).

I smiled apologetically at the pouting guardian (with sparkly eyes) and said, "I'm sorry for not visiting you sooner, Nakuru." She didn't seem very impressed by my sincere apology (cough) but she shrugged and smiled happily.

She then struck a pose that was meant to look dashing, but I thought she looked like she was about to pounce on something... which she always looked like. "Tomoyo, my friend, I shall now reveal to you a secret which no creature on Earth has ever discovered," she told me in a mysterious voice. I was skeptical, but despite that my interest was perked and I nodded for her to go on. Her long hair swung as she tossed her head, similar to what I sometimes did. She beckoned me to come closer. I did. "I just thought you should know..." she whispered deviously, "...that Master is... secretly... in—"

Suddenly a hand covered her mouth before she could finish. I heard her muffled voice say something like, "Aw, Eriol, you're no fun", though her eyes were clearly sparkling almost evilly in delight. Eriol kept his hand firmly on the guardian's mouth. I blinked, very curious as to what she was about to say. Eriol was secretly in what? But then I looked at the silent Eriol, and saw that even though he looked inexpressive, the slight tint in his cheeks said something else. I decided that whatever Nakuru was going to say was not very favorable to the ex-magician, and kept quiet.

Oh well. It wasn't like I even _wanted_ to know. That much. A little. Kind of. Sort of. Ah... okay. Maybe I wanted to know a _little_ bit (just a little). Once Eriol removed his hand from the guardian's mouth, I hoped she would finish what she was going to say, but I was disappointed. For Nakuru clearly had other things in mind.

"Come on, Tomoyo!" she said, grabbing my arm and dragging me down the hall. I grudgingly obliged (more like I was _forced_ to) and all the while wondered why there was a strange scent in the air. It was familiar, almost like... a garden. Or a greenhouse. Or my bathroom, which the maids sprayed spring blossom aroma every day. Soon I found myself in the big kitchen, where Sakura and I had been led to that day when we were 'slaves' to Eriol and Syaoran (ah, old days... heh). Nakuru winked at me (wait, why did she wink?) and hurried off to the side of the kitchen. Eriol was walking behind me, being very quiet. I momentarily wondered if he was this quiet in his own home and if Nakuru was up to something (of course).

But that thought was driven out from my mind as soon as I saw what was before me. My mouth dropped open.

The round table was covered and overflowing with flowers of all kind. There were stemmed-bouquets of tiger lilies, lily-by-the-water, stargazer, and some others that I didn't recognize. There were a multitude of lilacs that scattered all over the green stems, and dozens of orchids and tropical blossoms that literally bloomed amongst the light-colored flowers. There were also faint purple-blue hydrangeas that lay between scant trails of sakura and pear petals. Not only that, but there were strings of white blossoms and azalea that decorated the kitchen, creating a very festive effect. In fact, because of my experience of designing and being invited, I thought the theme rather related to a ...wedding.

**…**

I later conclude that it was the fragrance of all those flowers that made me a little dizzy, _not_ the** wedding **thought. And that wasn't even all. In the very center of the heavenly flora there was a crystal glass filled to the brim with delicate little cookies that smelled so rich and strong that it nearly overpowered the flower perfume. It was _that_ strong.

Firm hands held my shoulders lightly to steady me. I'd been swaying slightly, overwhelmed by the sudden aroma and the sight that was in front of me. I turned my head slightly when my head felt a little less dizzy and saw Eriol's blue eyes looking at me. His orbs were shining. But not the kind of shining that I'd been bombarded with today. His shine was out of concern for me. And curiosity. There was also an anxious kind of eagerness that I could barely detect if I wasn't so close to him. Being dazed, I didn't blush at the last thought and instead continued maintaining eye contact with him. If I waited a little longer... maybe... something could happen. Something _would_ happen.

Something did happen.

Eriol parted his lips to say something when—

"Nakuru, you really did go overboard with the whole flower thing, didn't you?"

Just... not the way I'd been expecting. (What _was_ I expecting...?)

I felt Eriol's hands withdraw and we all turned around to see the familiar, dark counterpart of Kero. Spinnel was keeping himself suspended in the air with his wings, the all-too-familiar expression of "why am I even here" etched onto his cat-like face. He was observing the room with a dry air, while Nakuru bounced beside him excitedly, apparently eager about something. I raised my eyebrow. She was acting very suspicious. And besides, didn't Spinnel just say that _Nakuru_ was the one that placed all these flowers here?

A feeling akin to disappointment settled in me. I frowned, not because I didn't like the flowers, but because of the fact that I was bothered that Nakuru was the one that put the flowers here, not... Eriol. I blinked. Well, it _was_ natural for me to think that because, after all, he said that he was going to 'properly thank me' for... for... for being a good temporary host...? Yeah. And so that meant that _he_ should be the one that did all of this. Right?

...Then what was all this for, if it wasn't Eriol's 'thank you'...? All this hard work of gathering the flowers, decorating the room, baking those cookies... it was for me, yes, but in that moment, all that seemed to dim in my eyes, and the splendor and glory of it lost its sparkle.

Nakuru suddenly sidled beside me, hooking my arm with her own. I was broken out of my thoughts and I looked at her numbly. She only grinned at me. "Well?" she prompted out of the blue. I blinked and raised an eyebrow. I thought I felt Eriol making a motion, but when I quickly glanced at him he was only watching us with a calm expression. "Tomoyo," she suddenly whined, making me shift my attention back at her. Her eyes were big and shiny, and her lips were formed in a pout. I felt a sweat drop on my brow. She was pulling one of those infamous puppy faces. "Tomoyo, I worked so hard to do all _this_," she waved a hand around the wedding-flower-designed kitchen, "and you won't even say a word of 'thanks'?" She sniffed piteously.

I was flabbergasted. Hastily, I said, "No, Nakuru! I-I'm... shocked beyond words. It's so beautiful that... wow, I don't know how to thank you... Thank you so much for doing this..." During my broken sentence speech the guardian gradually grew brighter and a smile grew on her face until I thought it would become like Miss Eileen's smile. Finally, she broke into a big smile. Then she slipped her arm from mine and pranced away.

"Why, Tomoyo, thank you for your appreciation, but really, it was ALL _Master Eriol!_" she exclaimed gleefully, snatching Spinnel out of the air ("Let _go_ Nakuru!") and skipped out of the kitchen, singing an unfamiliar song.

I blinked as Nakuru's words registered in my mind. Beside me Eriol sighed. He eyed at me as I stared at the flowers and asked hesitantly, "Tomoyo? Are you okay? Do you... reallylike it?"

_Do I _like_ it?_

There it was again. I saw it in his eyes. That slightly anxious eagerness, the small flash of hope... It was the boyish expression of hoping to please. Hoping to please a friend. _A friend. _Me.

All the sudden, the disappointment in me was pushed away, and in settled something warm... something indescribably... _happy_. Happy. I was feeling that same, warm happiness in... _there_ again.

I couldn't seem to stop it. Nor did I want to. It made me feel... excited. It was the kind of **happiness** that I hadn't felt in a long time. The feeling that I thought I would never feel again after Sakura and I graduated middle school and my cousin realized her feelings for a certain Chinese heir. The feeling that had lay dormant during all those years.

I _missed_ that feeling. And here I was, feeling it spread inside me once again.

And it occurred to me... that...

_He_ was the cause of it.

There was something stirring in me, and it was because of Eriol. And it was that thought alone that confused me. Because... I wasn't completely sure anymore what my thoughts and feelings were for him. Eriol. My... friend...?

Slowly, I registered what Eriol had asked me, and I replied cautiously, "It's... I'm..." _I really like it. _I stared at him, trying to discern the thoughts that were floating in my mind, out of grasp. "Eriol..." _This feeling. This happiness. _He was staring curiously back at me, his blue gaze unreadable as always. I tried again. "I... it's... too..." I swallowed. How could I say it? It wasn't coming out. My words weren't making sense to him. They didn't make sense to _me_. That would explain why he was ignoring what I was saying and only listening to my eyes. But my eyes weren't saying anything, because even in my mind it was confused.

What in the world was I trying to say? My eyes widened when I realized that this was exactly what Eriol sounded like back when I had told him off for ignoring me. I blinked. Then... was this what he was feeling? This wilted flower feeling... somehow, I couldn't just get the words out of my head. The ideas weren't clear. My mind wasn't clear. I didn't know what I was feeling. Except...

He was still waiting for me to say something. I was waiting for my words to come out. I could feel that happiness still throbbing in me, sending a foreign tingling throughout my body. My mind was glowing pleasantly, happily... blindly, confusedly. The thoughts were swirling. I couldn't pinpoint them.

_Just say something. _

I took a deep and controlled the whirling thoughts that were threatening to spill over. I opened my mouth and looked him in the eye.

_Go on. He's waiting. _

I took another breath and moistened my lips. "Eriol..." I forced my thoughts to stay still and the beating of my pulse to slow down as I concentrated on the words. "I... I am... it's..." I sighed and suddenly smiled brightly at him, surprising myself as well as him. _Thank you. _"Thank you... Eriol."

Finally.

He blinked at me, his blue eyes studying my own intensely. I stared back, wanting to somehow find a solid, firm ground for my mind's thoughts to level in and stop buzzing impatiently. If I didn't center myself, I would be lost milling around aimlessly without a secure anchor.

_I'm so happy._

I wondered how in the world I managed to lose so much self-control and nearly lose my mind to the erratic feeling of happiness that seeped through me. How was it that I felt like this... by Eriol? Why did he have the power to do this to me... when nobody else could? Not even Sakura.

_Not Sakura... but **him**. _

But I already knew. Deep inside, and slowly on the outside, I knew. I wasn't stupid. I wasn't dense. Although the emotions took time to get used to, and the feelings were scaring me... I knew. And I understood.

I liked Eriol.

And not just as a friend.

"Tomoyo..." It was Eriol, of course. I met his eyes again, the delighted happiness slowly dissipating, but the faint tingling of sudden realization still in my mind. I would never look at Eriol the same way again. There was a faint smile on his lips, and I found myself smiling instinctively back. "Thank _you_," he said.

_I like him. And not just as a friend._

I nodded, my smile growing. I could only watch him as my mind repeated 'I like him, I like him, I like him, I like him...' over and over. The revelation of my feelings still shocked me because my mind froze several times.

_I like Eriol. A lot. _

"Well, let's eat, shall we?" he said with a gentlemanly smile, motioning towards the flower-clad table that _he_ had thought of. I nodded again, dazedly. I followed him and sat in one of the chairs, somehow managing to clear some space in the flowers. Eriol did the same. We glanced at each other, Eriol's glance questioning. I blushed (but tried to hide behind the crystal bowl of cookies) and took a cookie.

Eriol did this all for me, not because he had to, but because he wanted to. Maybe it was just to thank me, and he was being polite (very polite), but it still made me happy.

Then I realized something. Upon the realization I choked on my cookie, causing Eriol to get up and hurriedly pat my back so that I didn't end up dying in his home as the guest of honor. I wanted to die of mortification. But not only because I was hacking like a dying frog in front of the guy I suddenly liked in a not-as-a-friend way.

I liked Eriol. But that didn't mean he liked me.

..._Damn it. _

I wanted to choke myself with the cookie—this time on purpose.

It was like the whole world was laughing at me. But at the same time... I think the world was silently rooting for me. Because there was always bound to be somebody out there on my side. After all... I chanced a peek at the dark-haired guy before me and smiled a little. There was somebody here with me right now that made me happy like I never knew I'd feel again.

I liked Eriol Hiiragizawa. And for now, that was enough.

**…**

"Tomoyo, why are you staring at me? Oh, and... er, there's something on your chin."

Yes, it was **definitely** enough.

* * *

**A/N: Wow. Some unexpected things here that even _I_ didn't know were coming up. Hmm... how in the world indeed. Well, thank you for reading! I'll update As Soon As (When Homework Is Scarce and Studying Is Unnecessary) Possible. THANK YOU! **


	14. Feelings of Memories

**A/N: ... **

**Disclaimer: It's not mine. Really. **

**-.-.-.-**

**Chapter 14: Feelings of Memories **

**-.-.-.-**

_The leaves haven't even fallen yet it's already winter. What are they waiting for...?_

_-.-.-.-_

So this was it, I thought, staring at it with mild disdain while standing akimbo. No emotional sap-filled confession with flying cherry blossoms in the background, no secret night rendezvous under the full moon, no piggyback rides and sprained ankles... nothing special. This was _it_. A dry, romance-void and utterly bland confession followed by an equally dull answer. The delight and heart-thrilling surges of joy was completely sucked out of every word like a vacuum.

It was stupid.

Sakura thought so as well. "It's stupid," she declared. "I mean," she waved her hand around to search for a deeper meaning to her words, "how is this a _love_ play?" She picked up the folded script from my bed and turned to the title page. "Look at that— _'Moonlight Whispers'_. That practically screams mushy sappy romance!" The brunette gave a short sigh and tossed the extremely deceiving script back on the mattress. "This is ridiculous."

"I know," I told her, sighing for the umpteenth time.

When I left Eriol's house (after eating the rest of the cookies and talking a bit—I was still in a daze. I think I looked drunk) Sakura called and said she was sleeping over. She said she was on her way from a committee meeting—and apparently there were a lot of things we needed to talk about. I didn't know what she was talking about, and I told her so. But she said I shouldn't lie because it was unbecoming of me and hung up with a cheery "bye!".

Sometimes I think my cousin is turning into me. Why else would she say the word "unbecoming" like it's a word people use as often as breathing air?

Er, never mind. I never say "unbecoming" either.

We were sitting in my room discussing the winter festival and the stuff we were responsible for. Sakura had already told me about her leading the outdoor sports events with Syaoran and I'd teased her a little about the predicament that was between her and the Li heir (and no, she wasn't "excited" about working so closely with the school's most popular guy. There was absolutely nothing to be happy in the least with the arrangements, she said indignantly). In return, Sakura questioned me mercilessly about Eriol and how it felt to be working so "closely" with him in the drama play. I blushed (darn) because I felt so sure that my newfound attraction to the blue-haired guy was _so blatantly_ obvious that the whole entire world could see it. But I said matter-of-factly that he was my friend and that was that.

Sigh.

When I showed her my script that I'd been practicing, she'd read it first with eager anticipation, but slowly winded down until she got to the ending, which consisted of a smile, a "yes", and an abrupt "The End", and feeling sorely disappointed by the lack of "love" in the love play, declared the play stupid.

I agreed with her. Not because of the lack of love scenes (I was fervently grateful for that, no matter _what_ I felt for Eriol), but because, for all it's lack of romance, there seemed to be enough room for the main character girl (me) to be stuck in a _love triangle_. I fail to comprehend exactly how a loveless play produces a love triangle.

But then again, the one who gave us this play was Miss Eileen. That has to be some form of explanation, right?

Sakura seemed to have stopped pouting about the script because she asked me curiously, "What does Eriol think of this play?" I'd been playing with the script absentmindedly, but at the mention of Eriol my hand seemed to slip and there was a short tearing sound. I winced as Sakura blinked at the torn paper in my hand, and I quickly coughed to cover up the awkwardness.

(Dork)

"Uh, well... I don't know," I answered casually, wandering to my desk to tape the poor, torn paper. "I guess he's OK with it." A light-hearted, vague tone, as if I didn't care much. Sakura saw right through it. But she didn't comment or question further. Thankfully.

Instead, she just shrugged and yawned, stretching as she sat down on her makeshift bed. "Well, I guess I can ask him tomorrow," she said lightly. I bit my lip and turned away so she wouldn't see the anxious look on my face. I finished taping my script back together and as I was stuffing it in my bag, I thought I heard, "Lying is unbecoming of you." When I looked back at Sakura, her back was to me and she was sleeping.

As I turned out the lights and slipped under my covers, I thought, _She's right._

Lying was unbecoming of anyone.

-.-.-.-

_"Tomoyo..." Cherry petal blossoms created mesmerizing patterns as they fluttered in the air, creating a poetic background. They were finally falling. The leaves were falling. "Hmm?" I looked up and smiled as Eriol made his way toward me. "Eriol." He swept me in his arms and held me close to him. I closed my eyes and smiled wider, letting his warmth cover me. I felt immediately comforted as the day's stress and troubles all seemed to melt away. Being near him did that to me. _

_"I missed you," he murmured into my hair. I wrapped my arms around his waist and laid my head on his shoulder._

_"I missed you too," I answered softly. How long has it been since I've seen him? Two, three years? I can't count; it's been so long. "Eriol?" _

_He shifted so he could stroke my hair. "Yes?" _

"_Are you going to leave?" The cherry petal blossoms flurried quickly as the wind grew stronger. Was this the change they... I've been waiting for? _

_He held me tighter and I could see the pained, tired expression on his face. "No. No, I'm not going to leave... Tomoyo." _

"_You're... staying?" I could feel his heart beating steadily. It assured me that he was indeed here and alive with me. _

_I felt him nod. "I'm staying. With you." _

... _We looked at each other with a tender smile and his face drew closer... I could feel my eyes closing as he drew near... his warm breath mingled with my own. Our lips were almost touching... and then—_

"Tomoyo!"

My eyes flew open and, disoriented, I hurriedly got out of bed, only to get tangled in my bed sheets. I ended up falling with an undignified 'thump'. (I want to cry for the dignity that I'd lost long ago. Woe is me)

"Tomoyo!" This time I could hear Sakura hurrying around the bed to where I was lying rather pathetically. "Are you alright?" she asked half-concerned, half-trying to keep her laughter in. I groaned in reply and half-heartedly got up, still rather dazed from the dream I'd been dreaming until I was so rudely woken up. I pouted as I fixed my sheets. It was such a good dream too...

Er, wait. What was the dream about? I scrunched my eyes slightly, trying to remember the fast-fading dream I had dreamt only moments ago.

...Cherry petal blossoms... mushy sap-filled drama music in the background... a near-kiss... Eriol... _Eriol..._

Eriol? Eh? My eyes grew wide. Was I having a love-dream about Eriol?

Oh my. Did I like him that much already? Was I at that stage so soon? But...! This was... a new experience, to say the least. I started blushing as I remembered how intimate we were in that dream. But it wasn't like I _really_ wanted it to happen in real life. Of course not.

Honest. (fingers crossed, yeah?)

"Are you okay?" I turned to see Sakura looking worriedly at me.

"Er, yeah, I'm fine," I quickly replied. I tried not to look like I had just dreamed about something to do with Eriol and me being intimate (and me liking it). She gave me a suspicious look but didn't further question me. Instead, she reverted back to her original situation: hustling about my room and the bathroom like she was late for something.

"Come on!" I blinked at her as she rolled up her makeshift bed on the ground. "Tomoyo, if you don't hurry up and dress you're going to be late for school! And I thought _I_ was the late one," she muttered to herself. Shocked, I glanced at the clock. Aw _crap_.

In .053 seconds I joined Sakura and together we put on clothes, got our bags and rushed down the stairs like marathon runners. We grabbed some food on the plates that the cook had set elaborately on the table for us ("Just take the whole plate," Sakura said hastily) and ran out the door.

We made it to school on time fully intact. If you don't include breaking the speed limit ("Faster, Bill, you have go _faster_!") or stuffing toast and muffin in your mouth while drinking all at the same time (that had been me) or trying to remember if your shirt went _that_ way (that was both of us).

By the time we were sitting in our seats we were very out of breath and very disgruntled. The teacher hadn't showed up yet and the students were all up out of their seats and chatting like school hadn't started. I decided then that no matter how much I liked having dreams about Eriol (I bravely tried not to blush) it had to stop, or at least only occur on weekends, because I never wanted to be this rushed in the morning again. I don't even know if my hair is presentable.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw my cousin looking tired and cross. The same goes for Sakura. I wonder what caused her to wake up so late. She'd never slept until _seven_ minutes before school officially started. Unless... I grinned slightly as I looked over my shoulder again and saw Syaoran sauntering up to the emerald-eyed girl. Hmm, I wonder if Sakura had any romantic dreams lately...?

Ack. What am I thinking about? How did my mind get so corrupted?

Or maybe it was _originally_ like that... After all, I _did_ use to be Tomoyo-the-camera/video-girl-who-always-had-an-evil-smile-on-her-face-whenever-Syaoran-blushed back in fourth grade. Ah, for the old days...

-.-.-.-

It's only five minutes after the teacher came in and began today's lesson that I was distracted by a thought. And what a troublesome thought it was.

What if I started acting really weird around Eriol? Like, as in, really, **really** weird.

Like, 'Tomoyo's-starting-to-act-really-weird-and-looks-like-she-has-a-crush-on-Eriol' kind of weird. What if that happened?

Would Eriol start avoiding me? Would he get annoyed and not want to be friends anymore? Or worse... would he not even _notice_ my strange behavior? Or will he notice and just not care at all? Hmmm Tomoyo, you've got yourself into a mighty fine fix here...

Ah. That's it. I've got it.

I'll just have to act like I was before my newfound feelings for the ex-magician were formed!

Hah. Tomoyo Daidouji, you brilliant genius. You.

-.-.-.-

I should've known it wouldn't be so easy. I should've known better than to except smooth sailing and wide open skies—liking someone just doesn't _go_ like that.

I should've known that the ILE (I Love Eriol fan club, for all you people who forgot) President wasn't glaring daggers at me simply because there was something in her eyes, like I'd previously thought the first few times it happened. But after several more times of glancing over my shoulder at lunch and receiving the hot end of the girl's glare (I knew the sensation of eyes burning holes through the back of the head wasn't my imagination!) I realized that she was definitely glaring at me—and apparently she was pissed. What did I do to her? I did nothing at all whatsoever to make her mad—I don't even know her _name_.

...Well, besides the little fact that I happen to be around Eriol Hiiragizawa a lot these past days (or couple weeks, to be precise) and that she happens to be in love with the Eriol Hiiragizawa that I've been hanging around with and she also happens to be the president of a club dedicated to Eriol Hiiragizawa and all that's good about him.

Yeah. I've done nothing to deserve the ends of her unjust wrath.

Of course, I should've known that she would continue throwing her cold, unjust wrath at me regardless of whether I deserved it or not.

Of _course_, Tomoyo, what else were you thinking? That she'll merely shrug in indifference at the close proximity that her beloved idol and I have been sharing (sort of) these past several days right under her nose and leave the matter alone?

...Actually, I kind of _did_ think that. (I'm an idiot)

And now, because of this unfortunate twist of unjust judgment (on her part) I was being officially targeted as Enemy: Dangerous Witch Manipulator (for the well-being of dear Eriol Hiiragizawa). And yes, I did make that title up. Pretty catchy, huh? The ILE club would be so proud of me. I think.

Or maybe it's just _my_ imagination. Argh, I've got to stop blaming others.

...Though if the President of the ILE club accidentally on purposely throws a ball of paper at me again, I'll be forced to do some _major_ blaming. And just why was she throwing them at _me_? She was lucky it was history and the teacher didn't know what was going on currently in the class he was teaching due to the fact he was so engrossed in the past. I steeled myself after another direct hit on the back of my head and thought grimly that if she threw one more... just one more...

From across the room, I could see Naoko, as well as a few other people, watching the flying paper balls and me. Doubtless everyone in school (or at least in my grade) knew about the rumor between Eriol and me, so they knew exactly what the deal was with the ILE President and her gradually-getting-more-accurate-paper-ball-throwing-phase.

What, did she think that throwing crumpled paper at me would prove as "punishment" for getting too close to her dear Eriol? Hah! As if! I, Tomoyo Daidouji, would never be affected by her childish actions. No way would I comply with her whims. I wasn't the type to like somebody (a lot) and stop liking him just because another person threw paper balls at me.

Fortunately, the teacher finally came back from the 1820's and told the class to answer some questions. I quickly swept the crumpled papers into my bag so that he wouldn't see them and get suspicious (though I doubt it). Then, suddenly getting a thought, I took one of the balls and quietly smoothed it out.

In neat, red handwriting was, **"Stop trying to ignore me you geek! Stay away from Eriol."**.

Oh. Okay. So she was sending me notes, not practicing fast pitch. Huh. (I feel pretty stupid now). But of course, she _would_ send me threat messages. That was, like, practically the _law_ for fanatic girls trying to drive away a potential competitor.

She called me a geek. Should I feel hurt? Offended? Self-conscious? _Proud_?

I remembered Eriol, and his easy acceptance of my weird and wacky ways... the way he smiled at me even though I was being a complete dork. He wouldn't care if I were a geek. Because even if I _was_ one (am I being in denial?) it doesn't matter because he's still my friend. And I'm still his.

I smiled to myself and nodded slightly in satisfaction. We were friends, and that was something the jealous President didn't have—Eriol's friendship.

...I just hope she doesn't have his attention. Because if he were romantically interested in her or anybody... I think I just might feel... bothered. Not the quietly-steaming-while-glaring-jealously-at-other-girls bothered. More like the quietly-bashing-notebook-with-pencil-while-imagining-said-notebook-is-girl's-head kind of bothered.

...No! I cannot become one of Eriol's fan girls, I'm not one of his fan girls, I am not one of his fan girls, I am NOT...

Aw darn. I think I'm one of Eriol's fan girls.

-.-.-.-

_When winter comes... only when the leaves start falling does autumn finally end..._

"_My favorite season is autumn, Tomoyo. Because when you harvest... you realize just how much you've sown that whole year... and how you've spent your days to the fullest. It's your reward for all the worthwhile work you've put into your life." _

_I've never looked forward to autumn. Because what are my worthwhile accomplishments except for a small bushel of apples? _

_I want the leaves to fall... hurry and fall already so I won't have to endure the shame._

"Tomoyo watch out!"

I heeded my friend's warning too late as I collided head first into the pole. "Ack." I winced and gingerly felt where a bump slowly formed on my forehead. Chiharu and Naoko were asking me if I was all right. I smiled ruefully. "I guess I should watch more carefully."

I looked back up at the trees I had been so busy staring at. Almost all of their autumn leaves were still clinging onto the branches.

..._Why haven't the leaves fallen yet? _

_-.-.-.-_

"But... I thought you loved her...?" I stared up at him with wide eyes, a glimmer of hope forming as I saw the answer in his deep, aqua eyes. My hopes were confirmed as he took my arms possessively, drawing me closer to him. Inside my chest my heart was hammering loudly.

A determined light in his eyes made my breath stop. "I never loved her, Lanrete. Never have, never will..." I further sucked in my breath as his face drew nearer to mine. "I only love one person, and that person... is looking at me right now."

Elation. I smiled up at him, bracing myself on his shoulders.

He smiled back and gently held me closer.

Fireworks. I could see the sparkles emitting from my eyes, as we got closer in unison.

Whistles... and catcalls? We broke apart and saw the rest of the drama committee cheering and egging us on. Except for the fangirls, they were scowling. I blushed hard and pulled away from Eriol, who was merely smiling calmly, regardless of the audience. I don't think he noticed my disappointment as we walked off stage. That love scene was as far as we would go.

"All right you guys, that was terrific!" Miss Eileen clapped her hands together with much joy, a very wide smile on her face. "Okay, practice is over for today! Class dismissed! Go! Shoo!" She made shooing motions toward the doors and we all got our stuff, eager to go home. As I got my bag I saw Eriol staying behind to talk to Miss Eileen quietly out of the corner of my eye. I wondered what they were talking about...

"I'm sure it's nothing too serious." I whipped my head at the familiar voice and saw Len Muraki looking at the two as well, a slight smile on his face. Much to my amusement, I didn't feel a single spark of excitement or attraction as I looked at him. He was still very handsome and just as chivalrous, but for some reason I just didn't... _like_ him like that anymore. Ever since I realized I liked Eriol, all feelings I had for Len were all gone. I guess it was just a little crush. At first I felt ridiculous since I'd made such a big deal about it before, but then I just past it aside as a schoolgirl crush.

I nodded politely and put on my bag. "I guess. I'm not worried about them or anything. I'm sure they're just discussing the drama play." That is, I hope. I've never seen Miss Eileen look so serious before.

Everybody else left except us four, so Len and I moved towards the exit away from the private discussion. Len gave me a smile that would have made me melt before, but now I didn't feel anything. "So, are you waiting for him?" he asked me politely.

I blinked. "Um, I... guess so." I hadn't really thought about it. I suppose after all those meetings with him after drama... I've grown use to waiting around for him.

I didn't see the smile that grew on his face as I turned to examine the bulletin board.

-.-.-.-

Eriol had a surprised look on his face when he saw me standing outside the doors as he walked out. I gave him a small smile. "Um, hi Eriol," I greeted him pleasantly. I watched his face relax and smile at me. Was I being too obvious in my actions? What if he knew my crush on him? I fought the urge to massage my head, not only because of the previous bump I acquired, but because all this confusion of liking guys gave me a woozy headache.

"Tomoyo, are you all right?" I looked up and saw Eriol looking down at me with a concerned expression. Heat flashes started attacking me and my face turned gradually red. How did he have this effect on me? Just one look at his eyes made me want to melt. He lifted a hand towards my face. He was looking really worried. I looked away. "Hey, you don't look so good. Do you want to sit down or something?" I could only stare at his shoes and shake my head 'no'. I dared not lift my eyes for fear of being victim of heat flashes once again. Those things were perfectly acceptable during IT, but now when I was so close to my friend/crush was not the right time. Besides, it was _winter_.

Thankfully, I didn't get any more heat flashes, and Eriol didn't seem to notice my weird behavior. He was happily chatting about how it was going to snow soon and how it would create the perfect setting for the winter festival. That led to a discussion about the drama play and the different committees our friends were in.

"Yes, it's interesting how Sakura and Syaoran got chosen as leaders of their own committee," Eriol remarked with a chuckle. I laughed a little as well, thinking about how edgy Sakura would get whenever the subject of Syaoran and the sports committee was brought up. I tried not to gloat too much about her 'relationship' with him—she claimed there was absolutely nothing going on except that they decided on a temporary truce just for the festival. "After that we'll be back to being rivals," she declared.

My cousin loved being in denial just as much as I did. At least I didn't have a talking plush-toy-like creature teasing me consistently about my crush. (coughKerocough)

Speaking of Sakura... I didn't see her after lunch like I usually did. I was going to call her after school but some thoughts distracted me from remembering. I shrugged mentally. She was probably busy with the sports committee or cheerleading.

"Hey, want to go get some ice cream?" Eriol suggested, looking up at the gray sky with his arms behind his back. I blinked at him.

"Ice cream? In this weather?" I raised an eyebrow at him. He only smiled slightly.

"Ice cream in the winter tastes best. They don't melt like they do in the summer, and it gives a refreshing atmosphere when you're cold," he nodded sagely, like he was an expert. Knowing him and his past ice cream misadventures he probably was an expert. I relented.

I sighed. "Oh, fine, since you say it's so good." I rolled my eyes playfully. I could see him grin as he looked down from the sky.

"I know it's good." He gave me a knowing half-smile that made me blush. I quickly looked away.

We were walking down an avenue where the trees were abundant. "The trees still have all their leaves," I pointed out, gazing at the maple and oak trees that lined the street. Some of them still had the autumn hues left in their veins with stems ready to break off from their fragile hold. My mind started traveling back to when Sakura and I used to walk down this street in the autumn and danced as the leaves dropped down, twirling in the wind. A whimsical smile found its way to my face as I recollected how happy I was back then. I was so happy I thought my heart would burst.

I didn't catch the blue-eyed guy beside me watching me as we slowed beside the ice cream shop.

"...I don't like autumn." He gave me a curious look. Then I started, realizing what I'd just blurted out. "I don't know, I just... I guess I never really liked it that much." I shrugged, knowing my explanation was better off not being said. (A lot of what I say is better off not being said...) But, well, I just felt a need to explain myself to Eriol. He never asked me... and he probably didn't even care.

I heard him shift. I turned to see him gazing at the trees as well, his dark blue eyes holding an unidentifiable expression in them. There was a small, almost poignant smile about his lips as he said, "Me neither." It was the smile of an ex-magician. I continued staring at him.

He turned to face me with that mysterious, almost empty expression. I opened my mouth to say something, but closed it as I realized I had nothing to say. So instead I just nodded and said, "Let's go in. I hope you remember my favorite flavor." I smiled, just to lighten the mood. After all, when you're with Eriol it just doesn't feel right to be so pensive and serious.

I caught him blinking at my words just before he quickly grinned and nudged me aside. He winked at my astounded expression and strolled into the shop. "You'll be paying, of course," he replied airily over his shoulder. I gaped after him through the closed glass door and then laughed.

"In your dreams," I called back as I entered the shop. He was already ordering a large topping on his ice cream cone. I only smiled and shook my head. Even when I was feeling down he still managed to make me feel better. Only so many people I know can do that.

And so, even though the leaves were ready to fall, I didn't look back at them. What I had in front of me was plenty enough to keep my eyes forward.

...Especially since the amount of scoops and flavors Eriol was ordering seemed more than a little.

"Hey, you'd better hope I'm not paying for that, mister!"

"Aw, you ruin a guy's fun, Tomoyo."

-.-.-.-

We left the ice cream shop and I turned to face Eriol with a smile. "Well, that was really fun. Thanks for the ice cream, Eriol."

He smiled back. "You gave me no choice but to pay for you. Next time I won't bring my wallet."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?" Inside my chest was thumping loudly. _Next time_, he said, like it was a sure thing. He wanted to spend time like this again... with me. To keep from showing how happy I was I checked my watch. My eyes widened. "Oh, I've got to go! My mom's probably called home." I looked up at the blue-eyed guy (who was looking up at the sky again) and beamed at him. "Thank you again for the ice—" Suddenly my phone rang. My cheeks grew warm as the shrill tune of Mission Impossible began to beat out. Eriol gave a little chuckle. Note to self: change ring tone as fast as humanly possible. I quickly flipped open the phone. "It's probably my mother. Hello?"

"_Tomoyo? It's Touya." _

I raised my eyebrows. Sakura's brother? Something important was up if he was calling _me_. "Hi Touya. Um, is there anything I can do to help you with?"

"_Yes. Are you with Sakura right now?" _

I blinked. "Um... no, I'm not." I could feel Eriol's presence so heavily beside me that I was sure Touya could feel it over the phone. "Why do you ask?" I realized he had a worried tone in his normally even voice.

"_She's not with you?" _

"No... Touya, what's wrong?"

I heard him sigh over the phone. _"Maybe she's just caught up with something. Listen, I call you later. And if you see Sakura, call me. Got it?" _

"Yeah, OK..."

"_Bye." _

"Bye." I flipped the phone shut and frowned at it. Touya was worried enough to call me about Sakura. This was serious. Unless she was playing a prank on her brother, she was in trouble. Just where could she be?

"Tomoyo." I blinked and looked up to see Eriol looking inquiringly at me.

"Oh, um..." I looked down at my phone. "It wasn't my mom..."

He smiled a little. "I figured that much." He placed his hands in his pockets. "So, it's about Sakura?" I nodded, my eyebrows furrowing again.

"She hasn't been home in a while, I think. Touya's kind of overprotective over her." I thought deeply, wondering where Sakura could be right now. "I'll try calling Naoko."

Eriol took out his phone. "I'll call Syaoran." I raised an eyebrow as I scrolled down the phone list. Good idea.

Naoko's number wasn't on the list. Then I remembered she didn't have a cell phone. I sighed. "I forgot, she doesn't have a phone." And her home phone number was constantly changing because her mother was a little paranoid.

The blue-eyed guy was still waiting for the other end to pick up. "He's not answering. I don't think his phone's even on." I sighed.

"Anybody else that would know about Sakura?" I wondered out loud.

"What about Chiharu?" Eriol offered. My eyes widened. Of course! How could I forget Chiharu? She was in cheerleading with Sakura and in most of her classes. I scrolled back up to the 'C's', feeling a little dumb for not thinking of her sooner. I called her number as soon as it appeared on the screen and waited anxiously as it dialed. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Eriol suddenly reaching for his phone as it rang. Thinking it was a private call, I turned away to give him his privacy. The other end of my line finally picked up.

"Hello?" came a guy's voice that was certainly not Chiharu's. It sounded oddly familiar.

"Um, I'm sorry, I think I've got the wrong number," I apologized confusedly. I was certain I'd called Chiharu's number... so who was that?

I was about to hang up when he suddenly said, "Tomoyo, you called **my** number." It was Eriol.

I whirled around with the phone still stuck to my ear and saw him chuckling at me, holding his own cell phone. I gave a short noise of surprise and looked down at my phone. Sure enough, I had called him instead. I realized I'd accidentally pressed his name, which was right after Chiharu's. I laughed along with him as I hung up.

"OK," I said after a few moments, "I'm going to try again." I scrolled down the list and carefully pressed Chiharu's number.

"Make sure you call _her_ number." The amusement was still evident in his voice. I rolled my eyes and waited for her to pick up.

"_Hello?" _This time it was Chiharu. I felt relieved.

"Hey Chiharu, it's Tomoyo."

"_Hey, what's up?" _

"Well, have you seen Sakura lately?" Please, please, let her say yes, please, say yes...!

"_Yeah..."_ Yes! _"At school today." _Oh. _"Why, what's the matter?"_

I tried not sounding disappointed. "I meant after school. Her brother hasn't seen her at home so he's worried. Well, if you see or hear from her, call me, OK?"

"_Sure. Why, is she late for something?" _

"Yeah, something like that. Well, thanks anyways. And remember to call."

"_Got it. Talk to you later." _

"OK, thanks. Bye..." I hung up, sighing.

"She didn't see her?" Eriol was looking intently at his phone, reading something.

I put my phone away. "Nope."

"Here, take a look at this and tell me what you think." I blinked. Eriol's voice sounded a little strange. He motioned me to come closer and look at his phone. I did. It was a text message... from Syaoran.

'**At subway station w/S.K. No reception. Pick us up at entrance' **

I blinked. So that's why he didn't answer his phone when Eriol called. But what did 'S.K' mean?

Eriol answered the unasked question. "Sakura's with him."

-.-.-.-

**Normal POV**

**-.-.-.-**

"This is all your fault!" Emerald eyes glared at the brown-haired guy standing before her in the middle of the crowded subway station. Her cry attracted the attention of nearby passengers waiting for the train, making them wonder if there was a lover's quarrel.

He snorted, crossing his arms stonily. "It was my fault that your stupid bracelet got stuck on the seat?"

She shook her bags of supplies angrily. "If you'd let me stand like I wanted to my bracelet wouldn't have gotten caught in the first place!" Her slightly red face was not only from yelling at him.

"So what, now it's my fault for being a little chivalrous?"

Sakura had gone to the sports department store in the city with Syaoran because it was their duty to get all the necessary supplies for the sports committee. They traveled by subway, and because it was turning evening it was very crowded. When there was finally a seat empty Syaoran graciously let her take the seat. But Sakura, being nice, didn't want him to stand up and insisted that he sit down. What started as an act of courtesy slowly turned into an argument and then a heated battle, and finally ended with Syaoran using his physical strength and forcing the delicate cherry blossom into the seat. However, her expensive charm bracelet that Tomoyo had gotten her for her birthday got caught on the metal seat, and, not wanting to damage it, tried valiantly to set it free. Syaoran, of course, helped her. At that moment their stop had finally arrived and the doors opened, but the bracelet was still stuck. The door closed before they could reach the door.

Ironically, the train wasn't going back to that stop until morning, so they exited on the next stop and waited for the next train. But even more ironically no more trains were going to that stop. So they were stuck.

And that was why Sakura was shooting daggers at Syaoran with her eyes while he scoffed about how unreasonable she was being. And also why people were watching them curiously, wondering why exactly they were so mad.

"Where's Eriol going to meet us?" the brown-haired girl asked shortly, looking away from him.

He didn't glance at her. "I don't know."

She blinked and stared at him. "What... do you mean 'I don't know'? How else is he going to pick us up?" He only shrugged, making her snap. "You don't even know where to meet him? How are we going to get out of here?" Her voice was growing higher in her incredulousness.

He closed his eyes in boredom, leaning back on the pillar behind him. She made an outraged noise and then stomped up to him. "No, you—" She poked his chest so she got his attention. His eyes flickered. "You don't seem to understand the _enormity_ of this situation. It's late, I'm late, you're late, we're all late, and we're stuck in this subway station with no way of going home except by riding the bus for two hours, or walking for six." She leaned in closer to his face as he watched her calmly. "...I have seven assignments that are due tomorrow and I haven't even started ONE. I've got that stupid math presentation to go over and cheerleading practice, not to mention the sports committee. And to top it off, I told my brother I would be home an hour and a half ago so I can make dinner. _And_ I've got to call Tomoyo and tell her I left my shoes at her house..." Her tone had gone from fuming to deadly calm, and finally desperate. Her face... she looked close to tears.

The Li heir steadily blinked at her and then put his hands on her shoulders. "Hey... take a deep breath..." He watched her as she took his advice blindly and breathe deeply. "That's it. Good. Now. Stop thinking. Don't think about all those things. Got it?"

Sakura gave him an irritated look. "How can I not think about them?"

He shushed her. "Just do it." She sighed but closed her eyes, doing as he said. "Now, follow me." She barely had time to open her eyes as he took her by the elbow and pulled her after him. She had to run in order to keep up with him and dodge the crowds of people.

"Where are we going?" She called to him, bewildered and just a little annoyed. "Omph! Sorry!" That was the fifth person she'd bumped into. He only tugged her along faster, towards the subway station entrance. "_Syaoran_, what is—" She narrowly avoided crashing into his back as he stopped abruptly.

He was scanning the place with concentrated dark brown eyes, trying to look for someone. Finally, he spotted a flash of blue, as well as long wavy hair. "They're here."

Sakura frowned and careened her neck, trying to look at what he was talking about. "Who, I can't see—"

"SAKURA!"

-.-.-.-

**Tomoyo's POV **

**-.-.-.-**

I almost cried when I saw Sakura in that crowded subway station. She was safe. I wouldn't have to confront a panicked Touya. My mom won't kill me for being out so late because I had a perfectly valid reason to be late. All was well.

"Thank goodness!" My cousin lunged and hugged me. Then, without letting me go, she grabbed Eriol and hugged him as well, crushing us together.

"We're glad to see you're all right." Eriol's voice seemed perfectly fine, but because I was so close I could hear the invisible strain caused by Sakura's innate strength. I would've agreed, but I couldn't breathe.

Syaoran rolled his eyes. "Oy, let them breath." She immediately let us go, and I felt my breath rushing back to me, my heart thumping loudly not just because of the lack of blood circulation. Eriol removed his arm from where he had placed it behind my back so it wasn't in the way of Sakura's massive hug.

"Sorry," the emerald-eyed girl apologized, grinning. "I guess I was so happy to know I wasn't going to be stranded here with _him_." At 'him' she motioned with her bags at Syaoran, who was standing behind her.

He frowned slightly. "Glad to know my company is wanted." I smiled ruefully at him while Sakura turned eagerly to Eriol, excited to be going home. The Chinese male just shrugged and glanced at my cousin as she chatted happily. "How'd you come?" he asked me. We all started walking toward the exit.

"I called my driver." I motioned to the limo waiting outside in the reserved parking space. Syaoran's eyebrows rose at this unexpected luxury ride. I didn't tell him how I'd called my driver to go to the station ASAP regardless of the fact that I was with a guy and that Mom wanted me home soon. Or how we'd nearly gotten a ticket for speeding in a parking lot.

Sakura waved for me to come over to her so that we sat together in the limo. As Eriol and Syaoran got in after us and the engine started, Sakura whispered, "So, you came with Eriol, huh?" I raised my eyebrows, trying to contain the automatic blush that rose in my cheeks.

"And what were you and Syaoran doing together?" I retorted quietly. She glanced away, looking a little embarrassed.

"Tomoyo, you know it's not like that. We were only getting stuff for the sports committee." She crossed her arms and gave me a coy look. "But you, my dear cousin... I'm pretty sure Drama ended quite a while ago. Just how did you and Eriol come together?"

Eriol and Syaoran were talking quietly behind us, so they didn't hear Sakura's question. I lifted an eyebrow. "Syaoran gave Eriol a text message that you guys were stuck at the station. Your brother called me asking where you were. Naturally, I let Eriol get a ride with me to pick you guys up." Hah, take that for a good explanation! I had perfectly legitimate reasons for being with my crush.

"Tomoyo, Eriol has his own car." My smug air faded and I was left blinking at my smirking cousin. Wait, Eriol... no, that was right. Eriol did have his own car. I suddenly fought the urge to groan and put my head in my hands. There was no way I could've known about Sakura being with Syaoran unless Eriol told me. And even then, he would've gone ahead in his own car. There was no need for me to come in the limo, least of all bring Eriol with me. Sakura won this round.

But you won't win the next one, I told her in my head as she smiled victoriously through the tinted windows. I would prove myself right... er, but for what? For lying about my feelings for Eriol? Hmm... I'll have to get back to that later. Right now I had more important things to deal with. Like... saving the limo window buttons from utter abuse.

"Hey, Daidouji, you might want to think about getting this thing updated." Syaoran was pressing the said buttons, wondering why the windows weren't sliding down. "I think it's broken. This stupid thing won't... why the heck won't it work?" PUSH. SLAM. "Stupid thing won't cooperate." SLAM! SLAM! Ah, I know, I feel you buddy. I used to ask that question all the time.

Sakura and I hastily tried to calm him so that the poor buttons would be spared. They were still recovering from my last assault back when I was under the influence of IT.

The two brown-haired rivals were now arguing about who was being dumber. Eriol caught my eye from over their heads and grinned. I managed to grin back without blushing or freezing up. I leaned back and took a moment to look at the three. Sakura, my ever-beloved cousin and best friend, ganging up on Syaoran with Eriol with that carefree attitude I'd always adore. Syaoran, the guy who should've been my worst enemy but was actually a good friend that helped me in times of need (and vice-versa). Eriol, the one guy who I never thought I'd like and... the one that could make me smile whenever I felt down.

I was lucky to have them as my friends.

I was so wrapped up in watching my friends that I didn't notice the falling leaves outside steadily turned into drifting white flakes.

-.-.-.-

"You've got to be kidding me." Touya looked from Sakura to the brown-haired guy beside her with narrowed eyes. "_You_ caused my sister to be late?"

Sakura 'eheheh'-ed and took her brother's arm as Eriol placed a hand on Syaoran's shoulder. I could sense the tension building when Syaoran opened his mouth to retort, so I quickly spoke up. "Touya, Syaoran helped us locate Sakura. Nothing else happened except they took the wrong train. And," I went on, ignoring my older cousin's protest. "It's snowing right now, and I've got to drop these two off." I motioned to Syaoran and Eriol standing in the kitchen with us. "Sakura can give you the details, but we can't wait for the snow to get worse."

Touya seemed very reluctant to leave the matter alone. I could tell he was itching to confront Syaoran for reasons other than causing his sister to be late. "Fine. Thanks for finding the monster, Tomoyo." The "monster" glared at him and simply grounded his slipper-clad foot hard. "ARGH!" I only shook my head at the affection between them and smiled.

"Let's go, guys." I waved to my cousins as they tried to fight each other over who cooked dinner (Sakura was trying to get herself out of cooking, though really she didn't have to). Eriol and Syaoran followed me outside (after Syaoran and Touya had a glaring contest), where the limo was waiting.

The snow was still falling quite heavily for it was already three inches in fifteen minutes. Considering it was the first snowfall of the year, that was a lot. I hoped we could drive through this weather. Apparently, everyone else was thinking the same.

"Watch us get stranded out here in the snow," I heard Syaoran grumble. Ever the optimist, that one was.

"It looks like it will snow for quite a while," Eriol observed thoughtfully. Something told me he knew more about it than he showed. I sighed. As always, I couldn't tell if that was a bad thing or a good thing.

Not only that, but my mom left me a message on the phone, saying that she wasn't getting home until late and that the weather forecast predicted heavy snow all night long. She told me to stay tight and to not worry if she didn't come home. I worried if _I'd_ even get home at this rate.

We arrived at Syaoran's house... er, mansion/estate place. By that time the snow had reached five inches. The limo tires needed chains.

"Hope you make it through this snow," Syaoran told us as he got out of the limo. We answered affirmatively as he jogged through the snow to the entrance gate. Then he disappeared inside. That left Eriol and me in the limo. Together. Alone. Sort of.

We talked pleasantly as we drove to his house, trying to keep our minds off the flurries of snow outside and the occasion stumble the tires made as it slid over the snow. It was also to keep things from getting awkward between us. I don't even remember half of what I said, but I guess Eriol didn't either, because he just agreed with everything.

Luckily for us, we arrived at Eriol's house... mansion. Lucky for me because I had no more things to say, and Eriol didn't have to hear me talk about random things anymore.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow Tomoyo." He smiled and waved at me. "Go back in, you'll catch a cold." I was outside the limo with my arms wrapped around myself to keep from shivering in the cold snow. He stood where he was, not moving. "Tomoyo, get back in the car, it's too cold."

"You g-go on inside," I chattered, determined not to be the selfish one. I could barely see him roll his eyes at me through the blur of snow and he trudged back toward me. "I-I'm not going i-in, you g-go first..." But instead he took me by the shoulders and gently forced me back into the car. I half-heartedly resisted, but the combination of both the cold and Eriol's hands broke down my determination like eating cake. "Thank you, Eriol."

He shook his head. "Thank _you_ for giving me a ride home." With that he grinned, waved a little and shut the door, leaving me alone in the limo with only the blast of the heater on.

"Ready to go home, Miss Tomoyo?" Bill the driver asked me. I smiled, caught in that tiny moment of closeness to Eriol.

"I'm ready." The limo moved forward as I settled back for the ride and then suddenly stopped. Then it lurched forward, and stopped again. I could hear the engine running, trying to get the limo to move, but the snow was just too deep. We were stuck. "Um, Bill?" I already knew the answer.

"I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid the snow is too high for the limo to run."

I refrained from sighing and closed my eyes, resting on my seat as I tried to think of what to do next. We needed a place to stay other than the limo...

Suddenly, there was tapping on my window. I opened the door, almost scraping the snow with the bottom of the door, and saw Eriol looking at me, covered in snow. Despite this he had an amused expression on his face.

"Your limo doesn't seem to be moving."

"Yes. The snow's too high." I looked at him, and he gave me a knowing look.

"You're welcome to stay at my house if you'd like."

He didn't even need to ask, really. I was already telling Bill to get our stuff and come inside.

-.-.-.-

When we took off our snow-laden coats and shoes, the house (mansion) was completely silent. It was dim and the only light was coming from down the hall. However I remained vigil, bracing myself for the greeting I would inevitably encounter.

"Hello Tomo-yo!" Nakuru stuck her head cheerfully out the door and waved. Then disappeared.

That was not the greeting I was expecting.

Eriol was already leading Bill and I down the hall to the door Nakuru popped out of, saying, "Don't mind her, she gets like that when she's done something particularly mischievous." We entered the room, which turned out to be the kitchen. It was hardly recognizable because I'd only been here when Eriol and Nakuru had thrown that surprise for me. I smiled reminiscently. Then blinked. The kitchen was also completely covered from top to bottom with... powered sugar.

"Hihihi!" Nakuru was waving at Eriol, who was busy brushing off the white powder from the chairs. Then I realized why she was so contained. In her strong grip was a white-covered Spinel who had a resigned expression on his face, and a large almost maniacal grin on hers. Behind me Bill didn't look at all startled by this picturesque scene, but if Spinel started to talk...

"Behave, please," the blue-eyed guy admonished calmly, "we have guests." Spinel was keeping it mouth shut, though not just because there was a stranger around.

The redhead saluted and marched Spinel out of the kitchen. "I know! I was watching out the window. The snow is so pretty!" She twirled with the blue guardian in her hands. Then she stopped and turned to look at me seriously. I blinked at the change. "You know what that means, Tomoyo," she said gravely. She winked and whirled out of the kitchen. I was nonplussed.

Eriol merely chuckled as he set three mugs on the table, filled with rich hot chocolate. "Come, sit." I sat down, as did Bill who nodded politely. I'd only been to Eriol's house three times (voluntarily) and each time I was admiring the beautiful interior design. This time, though, I was possibly going to sleep here. I'd called Mom to let her know I was staying at a friend's house so she wouldn't send out a search patrol in the middle of the night.

Right, I'm sleeping over my crush's house. Of course, I didn't tell her that.

I remembered something similar to this that happened last week... or something.

Eriol was being the good host and we had a nice conversation that had even Bill smiling and me laughing. The blue-eyed guy was clearly enjoying himself, his eyes twinkling and his chuckles a nice tenor sound. I found myself thinking he would have a nice singing voice if he ever felt the need to sing. In the middle of sharing a funny story he suddenly his gaze on me, catching me staring at him. I blinked and said, "Oh... yeah..." Embarrassed, I laughed a little, trying not to seem like I had just been blatantly staring at him.

I felt a touch on my shoulder... Eriol... and saw him and Bill standing. "I'll show you to your rooms," he said, smiling. Though his smile looked a little strange. I nodded and stood, feeling the heat of his hand leaving my shoulder.

As we left the kitchen I mentally berated myself for not being more careful. "Watch yourself," I muttered under my breath as I followed the two men.

-.-.-.-

Bill and I were placed in rooms next to each other on the second floor. My room was nice, not as big as my room, but it had a joint bathroom. And the interior design was infallible. As I looked over the spare pile of clothes Nakuru lent me for the night, I saw a white piece of paper sticking out of the clothes. Curiously, I pulled it out and read what seemed to be Nakuru's handwriting.

'**Meet me in the kitchen at 9:40. Love, Eriol' **In firmer writing underneath was, **'and Nakuru and Spinel'**

Despite the faint blush on my cheeks I released a breath and grinned. That Nakuru... I glanced at the clock. 9:35. Time to start heading down. But I wonder why they wanted to meet me...?

Never less, I shut the door of my room (Bill's door was closed) and made my way downstairs to the kitchen, where the lights were already on. I stopped at the sight that greeted me.

Nakuru, for some reason, was hopping up and down excitedly like a little kid—on top of a chair. She was decked in a long winter coat, colorful scarf that wrapped at least five times, earmuffs, and gloves. Spinel, who did not look drunk so I assumed Nakuru wasn't successful, watched her with a bored air, its tail twitching. It also had on a tiny sweater and scarf. I blinked. But where was...?

A heavy, warm coat draped gently across my shoulders. Startled, I turned and saw Eriol's smiling face. He, too, was wearing a winter outfit. "We don't want you getting cold out there," he explained. Nakuru had jumped down and was twirling around happily.

"Snow, snow, snow...!" She whirled to grab Spinel but it was faster. It somehow landed on Eriol's head, casting a disgruntled eye on the redhead. She was oblivious to everything, but when Eriol cautioned, "Not so loud, Nakuru," she danced out of the kitchen, singing softly. He sighed and began to follow her. Looking back at me, he said, "Come on, we're going to have a little fun in the snow." He smiled as I blinked in surprise. "What'd you think we called you down here for?" Then, to my shock, he took my hand and led me out.

Eriol... is holding my hand he's holding my hand he'sholdingmyhandhe'sholdingmyhand—

I could hear Spinel telling me in the dark of the house that it was sorry for Nakuru's child-like behavior and causing me trouble. I was busy answering, "No, no, it's fine, I'm fine" and pulling on my coat properly while following Eriol and trying not to trip. His gloved hand was still holding mine. I was glad it was dark so my red face was unnoticeable.

We were outside in the spacious backyard where there were a few lamplights, casting a faint flow across the snowy ground. Only a few snowflakes were falling from the sky. It was so crisp, white and beautiful that I didn't notice Eriol let go of my hand slowly.

Nakuru was ecstatic. She spun in the snow, giggling. "Whee! This is so fun!" She came over and grabbed my hands (that's when I noticed, yes) and pulled me so we were twirling and dancing in circles. Laughter bubbled out of my mouth as I saw the happy expression on her face. She was so carefree and fun loving.

"Watch her spin herself dizzy," Spinel remarked dryly from on top of its master's head. Eriol had a little grin on his face, barely visible in the dim light. It was the same one he had before, back in the kitchen. But I had no time to think about this as Nakuru suddenly let go and, caught off balance, I flew back, falling in the snow with a thump.

"Told you," the dark-blue guardian stated.

Eriol came over to see if I was all right. "Tomoyo?" I was laughing, the fall hadn't been too hard and it was quite fun. He held out a hand, smiling. I grabbed his hand, and a wild, mischievous idea struck me. I pulled at his hand as hard as I could, and his eyes flashed in surprise as he fell down beside me, sprawled quite inelegantly. I gasped out in laughter and I breathed out apologies. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help it..." I didn't see the sudden wicked gleam in his eyes. Then I gasped, this time from the icy hot cold on the top of my head as he dumped snow on me. It was his turn to laugh.

"Eriol! That wasn't fair!" I brushed off the cold snow from my head as he kept laughing. I smiled. His laugh made it hard to stay pretend-angry.

"Sorry, but you can't say you didn't have it coming," he said, still chuckling. Suddenly, a snowball smacked him on the back of his head, making him stop abruptly. We gaped as we saw Nakuru on the other side, waving behind a self-made fort.

"I've avenged you, Tomoyo!" she cried, holding up another huge snowball. I grinned as Eriol ducked another flying missile. _Snowball fight!_

I scooped down, made a snowball, and started running before looking back. Eriol was making his own fort, quite absorbed in the task. With a little guilt, I threw the snowball, managing to... miss him entirely. "Shoot!" I ran away quickly, but not before getting hit by a well-aimed snowball. I looked back and saw Spinel grinning quite naughtily at me. I gaped and threw myself down as another ball came from Eriol. It was a battle!

We ended up making our own forts, the three of us. Spinel didn't need one, that little plushie. It could dodge almost anything in the air. But I managed to get it while it was busy dodging Nakuru and Eriol. Nakuru was a battle machine, chucking snowballs nonstop and with terrifying aim. I was almost afraid to lift my head above my fort. Eriol, on the other hand, was smart enough to make several different forts so he could change locations.

We battled long and hard until we couldn't move. I was lying flat on my back, panting and pinching my face so it wasn't too numb. The snow was starting to fall again, so we decided to go back inside. But Nakuru couldn't resist throwing one last snowball at the weary Spinel. It shouted an angry, "Hey!" and took after her, who stuck out her tongue and ran into the house. Eriol and I were left to trudge through the uneven snow.

"Well..." I trailed a little breathlessly as I straightened out my—no, Eriol's—coat. We walked side by side towards the door, a little wearily. "That was fun."

He smiled and brushed some snow off his hair. "Yeah. I'm glad..." Suddenly his tone changed. "Do you like snow?"

I glanced over at him, surprised. "Well... yeah, I guess." A whimsical smile tugged at my lips. "It always held some kind of magic... a significance... ever since I was young. Even now I get excited when the snow falls." My smile widened and I looked at my friend. "Do you?"

His gaze fell on the snow we were stepping in before he answered, "Hm. Yeah. I like it." He smiled at me gently, almost enigmatically. My heart beat faster and I almost lost myself in his eyes. Snow was falling harder, landing on my messy hair and melting on my pink, hot face. Sweat made my hair strands stick to my cheeks.

"Tomoyo..." Eriol was looking intently at me now, and I blinked, wondering how I didn't notice this. "Do you... like anyone?"

Blinking several times, I turned wide eyes on him. What...? "Um..." Why was he interested all the sudden? Was it... was he going to ask me...

Then, before my hopes took form and rose, he laughed casually, and I hastily wrapped that naked hope back inside me, deep. "It's none of my business, sorry. I was just being curious, you know... a friend's got to look out for each other's interests, eh?" He winked. I smiled back, but inside I felt sinking disappointment. _Friend. Right. _

"Of course," I heard myself say faintly. "Any friend would do that." Yeah, if they didn't have a crush on said friend. I sighed mentally, gloomy. Eriol would only think of me as a friend.

"..." Suddenly his arm stopped me, and I looked up startled. We were only a short distance from the door. His eyes were dark, and I could barely see his placid expression. "But," his tone was soft, and strange, "I'm willing to listen. You can always count on me, Tomoyo... I won't ask, but I'm willing to know more about you." His gaze was averted from me, and he dropped his arm, slowly. "So tell me, whenever you feel like it. I'll listen." There was a small, almost awkward smile on his lips.

I stared at him as he turned his body to face me, ignoring the snow that continued landing on my head. Eriol was so kind. He was a better friend than I deserved. He cared about me as a friend… so much, that it made me look so selfish. Because here I was lamenting over the fact that he didn't like me the way I wanted him to... and here he was giving me the best a true friend could ever have.

"Eriol, I..." It... made me want to cry.

He brought a gloved finger to his lips, and he smiled teasingly at me. I blinked. "...I know I just said you can talk to me whenever you feel like it, but that speech took all the energy I had. And this one. Let's go in..." A gust of wind brought a cold flurry of snow and ice, almost responding to his words. Quickly, he guided me into the door, placing a hand briefly on my back as he shut the door behind us.

"Nakuru and Spinel left a mess," he commented upon seeing the discarded clothing all over the room. I turned to face him, his earlier words still stuck in my head. He turned to look at me with a smile and I froze. My heart thudded almost painfully in my chest and I tried to remember when was the last time I felt like this... it was scary, this feeling.

"Hmm, I hope you're not too cold." I shook my head, bits of snow falling from my unbound hair. His eyes turned a little bemused as he shed one of his gloves. I watched, mesmerized as that exposed hand reached towards my face and slowly, gently, brushed away the strands of hair sticking to my skin. The feel of his fingers on my face was ticklish, and I felt a little drowsy. Then he drew away, breathing in sharply. "I'm sorry. You must be tired." (Where did this sudden exhaust come from?) He was helping me out of my thick, warm coat, which smelled like him. I was already half asleep, so I didn't mind when he held my shoulders to keep me from losing balance.

"...Eriol?"

He stopped midway of slipping the sleeves from my arms. I smiled and looked up at him through half-lidded eyes.

"Thank you. For... a lot of stuff." I dropped my head and chuckled a little, the exhaust taking its toll on me. Why did I seem so drunk?

"What do... Tomoyo!" He was surprised as he caught me before I stumbled flat on my face. I was surprised I was still awake. So many things happened today... My mind just couldn't take anymore. Huh. I heard him make a half sigh, half amused sound before putting a steady arm behind my shoulders, then bending down to lift me up in his arms.

I yawned and snuggled, feeling very comfortable. Although in the back of my head I knew I should be telling him to put me down, that I could walk on my own, that he didn't have to go to all this trouble... I decided that it didn't really matter because he wouldn't have listened to me anyways.

And besides, we were friends, and a friend just didn't leave a friend to sleep alone on the couch of that friend's house. I smiled and let my head fall on Eriol's solid chest, drifting into a deep sleep.

Outside the leaves had stop falling. The snow had finally come.

-.-.-.-

**A/N: All right. I feel a little sense of shame. Only one chapter and summer vacation's almost gone. Yeah, well... I hope this chapter was worth it. Thanks so much for reading! **


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